


Blended

by Ishmael_Autolycus



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-12 18:09:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 64,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7116988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ishmael_Autolycus/pseuds/Ishmael_Autolycus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens after Sam and Jolinar survive the ashrak's attack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **N.B.** Includes non-graphic portrayals of non-traditional sexuality, including same-sex and multiple-partner relationships, character death(s), references to past sexual trauma, adult situations, language and violence.
> 
> This story diverges from canon near the end of In the Line of Duty, namely that Jolinar survives. While I will be using many elements- people, places and things- from subsequent episodes, my depictions may or may not correspond with their original depictions on the show. Beyond that, the first shot from a zat'nik'tel stuns, the second kills, the third- "Yup. Still dead." I'm not a big fan of retcons, but that one works for me, so I'm using it.
> 
> One retcon that did not work for me was the one where Teal'c (and presumably other Jaffa as well) can detect a symbiote from three counties away. In fact, I posit that even a symbiote's ability to detect the naquadah signature of another symbiote is quite short-ranged: q.v. Jolinar's failure to detect the ashrak even when standing in the doorway of his hospital room and the fact that both Cassie and Jolinar don't detect the naquadah in the other until they're hugging, even though Cassie runs halfway across the not particularly large room, stops when she realizes her hands are smeared with paint, goes back to wipe her hands and then goes to hug who she thinks is Sam. While Cassie might not have figured things out immediately, I find it difficult to believe that the much more on-edge and experienced Jolinar would have taken that much time to figure out what was happening unless she couldn't detect Cassie's naquadah signature at even that moderate distance.
> 
> And finally, if Egeria was able to adjust the mental makeup of her descendants in such a way that they share with their hosts rather than dominating them, why couldn't- or didn't- any other queens?
> 
> _Italics indicate internal host-symbiote communication_.

"Why am I still alive?"

Janet Frasier took an involuntary step back, despite the five-point restraints binding the speaker to the heavy infirmary bed. "S-Sam?"

Sam Carter gave a mirthless smile, lifting her right hand the bare inch allowed by the restraints before allowing it to fall back to the blanket. "For now at least." Her gaze sharpened. "The ashrak?"

"Dead," Janet answered. "Teal'c shot him."

"That's a relief." Sam took a deep breath. "So when does the NID show up to take me out of here?" She shook her head, interrupting the other woman's automatic protest. "I'm the live Goa'uld they've always wanted, Janet. They will find out, and they're not going to let anything stop them once they do."

Janet's lips thinned. "Maybourne is here already, along with Colonel Samuels. They're meeting with the General now."

"I'd... like to speak with General Hammond," Sam said. "I have- I seem to have access to everything Jolinar knows. The Tok'ra are real. And the Goa'uld Empire is bigger than we thought. A lot bigger."

Janet's eyes widened. "Everything?" At Sam's nod, she turned crisply on her heel. "I'll inform the General."

"Janet!" The doctor paused in the doorway. "May I at least sit up?" Sam asked.

Janet turned and came back to the bed. She pulled the control box from its hook and placed it next to Sam's hand. "Anything else?"

"Cassie. Is she..." Sam's voice trailed off.

"She's... worried about you."

"Ah."

 

 

George Hammond resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as a panacea against the headache he could feel building up behind his eyes.

"Despite what you seem to think, we are not monsters, Dr. Jackson," Col. Maybourne stated with more than a trace of long-suffering exasperation in his tone. "Nothing would make me happier than to see Captain Carter freed- fully freed- from this Goa'uld. But the SGC simply does not have-"

"Oh for God's sake," Lt. Col. Samuels snapped. "Carter is gone. Dead or as good as; just like every other host out there and the sooner you people start accepting-"

Daniel Jackson shot to his feet, slamming his hands down on the table as his chair hit the wall behind him. "You son of a-"

"Gentlemen!" Hammond's next words were cut off by the sudden ringing of the telephone on the cabinet to his right. Stretching out his arm, Hammond snagged the receiver, brought it to his ear and growled "Hammond."

Jack O'Neill stood, placing one hand on Daniel's shoulder as Teal'c reached back and returned Daniel's chair to its proper place. "Easy there, big fella," he murmured, turning his face away and speaking too softly for the men across the table to hear what he was saying. "Easy there."

"I'm not a horse, Jack," Daniel responded equally softly as he sank back into his chair.

Jack shrugged as he sat back down.

Maybourne shot Samuels an irritated glare but said nothing. Samuels stared flatly back at him. Teal'c's eyebrow rose a miniscule amount at the byplay between the two men before his attention was drawn back to General Hammond.

"I see," Hammond said. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll be down shortly." He set the handset back in its cradle. "Captain Carter is awake," he announced, "And," he raised a hand to quell the sudden babble of voices, "she claims to have access to the memories of the Goa'uld."

Jack grinned. "Way to go, Carter."

"This is obviously some sort of trick," Maybourne countered. "General-"

"You're probably correct, Colonel." Hammond leaned back in his chair. "Teal'c?"

Teal'c shook his head. "I know of only two instances in which a Goa'uld has survived the hara-kesh. In both cases the Goa'uld had immediate access to a sarcophagus, although even that does not guarantee survival. To the best of my knowledge, no host has ever survived, freed from the Goa'uld that enslaved them."

"Thank you, Teal'c." Hammond placed his hands on the table and stood, the other men coming to their feet as well. "I will go see Captain Carter and we will reconvene in two hours. Dismissed."

"General-"

"Two hours," Hammond barked as he pivoted on his heel and strode through the door to his office.

Hammond took a deep, calming breath as soon as the door had shut behind him. Squaring his shoulders, he crossed to the door leading to the outer office and opened it. "Major Todeshi-"

"Sir-" the base adjutant began at the same time, indicating the figure that had risen from one of the visitor's chairs and was now saluting Hammond.

"May I help you, Captain?" Hammond growled.

The young officer couldn't suppress his audible gulp as he stiffened even further. "Paul Davis, sir. From the Pentagon. I was told you had been informed that I would be arriving to look into the ah- the situation with Captain Carter?"

Hammond frowned. "My apologies, Captain," he said as he returned Davis' salute, "but I thought Colonel Samuels..." Hammond's voice trailed off.

"I believe Colonel Samuels is here on behalf of the Joint Chiefs, sir," Davis replied. "I'm here at the request of the Secretary. The Acting Secretary," he amended.

Hammond blinked, rocking back on his heels. "The briefing room is two doors down on your left," he said, nodding towards the door that led out into the corridor. "We'll be re-convening to discuss Captain Carter in," Hammond glanced at his watch, "one hour and fifty-five minutes. Dismissed."

"Yes, sir." Davis saluted and pivoted on his heel.

"Oh and Captain?"

Davis halted, his hand on the doorknob, and turned his head back to look at Hammond. "Sir?"

"Just say you're from the Pentagon, at least for the time being."

"Understood, sir."

 

 

Sam's fingers beat a staccato tattoo on the hard plastic of the bed control as she tried to organize the mass of data in her head. It was safer to think of it that way. Less-

A loud gasp echoed in her mind. _Rosha! We're-_ A short silence and then, _Captain Carter._

_Jolinar,_ Sam acknowledged.

_I-_ Jolinar hesitated. _I am glad to find you well. Do you know if the ashrak-_

_Dead,_ Sam answered. _Shot._

_Good._ Jolinar hesitated again. _Captain Carter, we... seem to have a slight problem._

_A slight problem?_ Sam repeated. _A_ slight _problem? You blended with me!_

_I did not!_ Jolinar protested.

_Excuse me? We're blended and I certainly didn't do it._

_I've been unconscious this entire time and- and you've been going through my memories!_

_You went through mine!_

_Only the ones I needed immediately, not this- this wholesale trolling through my mind._

_Are you seriously comparing-_

_Yes!_

Sam slammed her head back against the pillow with an audible growl of frustration.

_Captain Carter_ , Jolinar broke the silence, _however- whatever- happened, the fact remains that we are blended. Even under normal circumstances it would be difficult for us to separate. As it is..._ the symbiote trailed off.

Sam sighed. _Yeah._

_Captain Carter, I am sorry about-_

_Don't,_ Sam interrupted. She sighed again. _Look. I can't honestly say I wouldn't have done the same thing, given the circumstances. Doesn't mean I don't want you out of my head ASAP._

_Understood._

A sharp knock sounded and the door swung open to reveal General Hammond. "Captain Carter?"

"Yes, sir," Sam answered. "But you should know that Jolinar is awake now."

_May I speak with the General?_

"And she's asking to speak with you."

"Asking?"

"It's... complicated, sir," Sam answered, and bowed her head.

Jolinar raised her head. "General Hammond," she said, speaking in the flanged tones of the symbiote.

Hammond folded his arms across his chest. "Jolinar, I presume."

Jolinar nodded and took a deep breath. "We- Captain Carter and I- need your help, General. But before that, I need to apologize." Hammond's stony expression did not change. "I-" Jolinar hesitated, "I panicked. And because I panicked, I didn't think, I didn't-" She shook her head. "I've handled this entire situation very badly. Your people and mine have a common enemy in the Goa'uld, General. We shouldn't be fighting each other as well."


	2. Chapter 2

"-remember to keep your mouth shut. Captain."

Daniel raised his eyebrows at Jack and Teal'c, receiving a shrug and a single raised eyebrow in response. He turned back and pushed the door to the briefing room the rest of the way open. "Colonel Samuels," he said neutrally as he entered. He held out his hand to the unfamiliar officer standing beside Samuels. "Daniel Jackson."

"Paul Davis," the officer replied, grasping Daniel's hand in a firm grip. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Jackson."

"Likewise, I'm sure," Daniel answered. "Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c," he continued, indicating them with a gesture.

"Sirs," Davis nodded.

"So which three-letter agency are you here for, Davis?" Jack asked as he pulled out his chair and sat down.

"The Pentagon, sir."

"Funny, I thought that's who sent Sparky here," Jack responded, leaning back in his chair. "Hey there, Harry," he added as Maybourne entered.

Samuels scowled. "As I was discussing with the captain, this is obviously-"

Jack rose to his feet as Hammond came through the door from his office."Captain Carter- and Jolinar- will be joining us for the remainder of this day's discussion," the general announced. "Be seated." As they took their seats a knock sounded on the door. Hammond called out "Enter!".

A burly Security Forces airman entered, carrying a coil of heavy wire rope. He proceeded to weave it through the legs of both the table and the chair at the far end of the table, effectively chaining the two together. He connected the two ends of the cable with a heavy-duty padlock, then stepped back as Sam entered.

She wore an olive green jumpsuit with no insignia and a pair of handcuffs. A thick leather belt encircled her waist. Chains ran from the belt to cuffs on her wrists and ankles. Another length of chain ran between her ankle cuffs, forcing her into a slow shuffling walk. A second SF entered behind her, his MP5 aimed at Sam.

The first SF moved forward to help Sam step over the cable on the floor and sit in the chair. He attached the shackle on the back of Sam's belt to a loop in the cable. He then removed her handcuffs, leaving the chains that ran from her wrists to the belt, giving her some limited arm movement.

"Thank you. Dismissed." The SFs came to attention, the senior airman saluted and they filed out of the briefing room. "Captain Davis," Hammond continued. "From the Pentagon. I believe you know everyone else, Captain."

"Sir." Sam acknowledged. She nodded to Davis. "Captain."

"Captain," Davis returned neutrally. He and Daniel were seated the closest, with only an empty chair each between them and Sam. Teal'c and Samuels occupied the next two chairs, while Jack and Maybourne sat to either side of General Hammond.

"Sam?" Daniel asked.

Sam smiled. "It's me, Daniel. Really."

"See, that's the thing," Jack interjected. "We'd like to believe it's Carter we're talking to right now, and not this Jelly-jar guy. But we really have no way of knowing, do we?"

Sam looked at General Hammond. "Sir?"

"I think we would all like to know the answer to that," Hammond responded, leaning back in his chair.

Sam scowled, then sighed. "Not at this time," she admitted before bowing her head.

Jolinar raised her head.

Jack, Daniel and Teal'c all tensed as they saw her face. "Jolinar of Malkshur," Teal'c stated flatly.

"Teal'c of Chulak," Jolinar acknowledged in the dual-toned voice of a symbiote. "Dr. Jackson. Colonel O'Neill. Gentlemen. Oh, and just for your information, Colonel," she continued, "I would be that Jelly-jar gal."

Daniel blinked, then leaned forward, raising one hand to forestall any interruptions. "You take on the host's gender?"

Jolinar shook her head. "No. Some do, but most symbiotes have a preferred gender, usually that of their first host. All of mine, with the exception of Quinta, have been female."

"Quinta?" Jack asked softly.

"The Nasyan man," Teal'c responded.

"How many hosts have you had?" Daniel continued.

"More importantly," Jack broke in, "what'll it take to move you on to your next host. We'll be wanting our captain back in as good a shape as you got her, of course."

Jolinar hesitated, then bowed her head.

Sam raised her head. "I'm either Jolinar's third or fourth host, depending on if you count Quinta or not." She drew in a breath. "She wasn't lying when she told you she'd leave me, sir. She still will. It's just a little... complicated right now."

Jack looked at her for a long moment. "Complicated?"

Sam nodded. "Yes, sir. We're not exactly sure how it happened- or even what happened- but somehow, Jolinar and I have blended."

"Blended?"

"Our- mine and Jolinar's- nervous systems have been intertwined," Sam answered, her chains clinking as she lifted her hands and laced her fingers together in demonstration. "Bonded. On a molecular level, sir."

"So... permanent then?"

Sam shook her head. "No sir." She turned to Maybourne. "Sir, when NID took the ashrak did you find a small vial? Either in his effects or he could have partially swallowed it to regurgitate later."

Maybourne leaned back. "Is that important, Captain?"

"It contains a concentrated form of an artificial replacement for the symbiote toxin, which isn't actually a toxin at all," Sam answered. "I mean it's toxic, yes, but more importantly it dissolves the molecular bonds between host and symbiote."

"Killing the host," Jack stated flatly.

"Not necessarily, sir," Sam answered. "With a healer to guide the process, host and symbiote can be separated without that much danger."

"A Goa'uld healer."

"A Tok'ra healer," Sam corrected.

"Why not a human doctor?" Daniel asked. "I mean Jolinar produces the- the symbiote toxin naturally, right? So-"

Sam shook her head. "First off, Jolinar's not a healer- she knows it can be done, but has no idea how to do it. Secondly, she's gone from Rosha to Quinta to me in about a month's time. Her- her tank is dry, basically. And it'll be..." Sam blinked. "Really?" She focused on Daniel once more. "It'll be several years before she'll have produced enough on her own for any reasonable chance of success," she finished.

"How about we just say the hell with it and cut Jolinar out, now that she can't kill you?" Jack asked.

"The doctors will have to either cut away a significant amount of my brain, or leave large portions of Jolinar's body rotting inside me, which will pretty much guarantee an infection." Sam's lips twitched. "Not exactly my first choice, sir." She turned to Maybourne. "Colonel?"

Maybourne shook his head. "I'm sorry, Captain. Nothing like what you've described was found."

"But the Tok'ra have some?" Daniel demanded.

Sam hesitated. "Yes."

"You don't sound too sure of that," Jack noted.

Sam sighed. "It's not nearly as good as the ashrakim version. Less potent, less stable."

"But good enough?" Hammond asked.

"It's what the Tok'ra use when removing a Goa'uld symbiote from its host."

Samuels shifted in his chair. "But why would..." His voice trailed off as Sam lowered her head.

"Because if the host survives, they have all the knowledge of the Goa'uld that enslaved them," Jolinar answered.

"If they survive?" Jack repeated.

"It is a delicate operation, Colonel, and far from perfected."

"What becomes of the Goa'uld?" Teal'c asked.

"They do not survive the procedure."

"And the hosts?" Daniel asked. "What happens to them, once they've told the Tok'ra everything they can remember?"

"They are released."

"And after that?"

Jolinar blinked. "I... don't know," she confessed. "It never occurred to me to ask."

Samuels leaned forward. "So Captain Carter will have all the knowledge of the Goa'uld once you're removed?"

Jolinar scowled. "I am Tok'ra, not Goa'uld, ha'ssak." Daniel's eyebrows rose as Jolinar's eyes flared.

"As I understand it, Colonel," Sam answered, "only the memories of the individual symbiote are transferred, not the genetic memories." She blinked at the expressions on the men facing her, then grimaced. "I forgot about the eye... thing, didn't I?"

Daniel blinked. "Umm, kinda."

"Sorry."

"Does that happen every time you, umm-"

"Switch control? Yeah," Sam confirmed. "I'm being reminded that it's considered polite," she continued, "even amongst the Tok'ra themselves, to bow your head, or at least close your eyes, when switching." Sam started to lower her head.

"Is there anything else, Captain?" Hammond said quickly.

"The Tok'ra are allied with the Tollan," Sam answered with a glance at Maybourne. "Perhaps they can help us mend some bridges there. They also have an- an understanding with the Asgard-"

"An understanding?" Jack repeated.

Sam spread her hands."Basically the Tok'ra and the Asgard share information on the Goa'uld and try not to step on each others' toes." Sam paused. "There was at least one deep-cover operative who would have been aboard Apophis' ha'tak, possibly two. Jolinar isn't sure. But they might have been able to warn us, or perhaps even been able to prevent Apophis from launching the attack in the first place." Sam focused on General Hammond. "The Tok'ra have operatives in the courts of every major Goa'uld, sir, and a number of the minor ones as well. The intelligence advantages alone would be invaluable."

The men exchanged glances. "Thank you, Captain, we'll take that under advisement," Hammond said. "In the meantime, perhaps you could tell us why Jolinar was on Nasya."

"And what was so important that the Goa'uld sent not only this ashcrack guy but a couple squadrons of death gliders after her as well," Jack added.

Sam's eyes lost focus, and several expressions the men watching her couldn't identify flitted over her features before she lowered her head. The men glanced at each other as her head stayed bowed and her hands twitched in short, abortive movements.

"Sam? Are y-"

"We- the Tok'ra- have been losing a lot of agents lately," Jolinar said as she raised her head. "Good, veteran agents with centuries of experience. More than chance or accident could account for."

"A spy," Teal'c stated.

Jolinar's lips thinned. "Worse. A traitor." She took a deep breath. "The Council received a message from one of our operatives in Cronus' court and-"

"Who?" Jack interrupted.

"Cronus. Leader of the Titans in Greek mythology," Daniel supplied absent-mindedly. "Overthrown by Zeus, leader of the Olympians. Or not, apparently."

"His territory borders the territory of Apophis," Teal'c said. "Their armies often clashed." He paused. "I informed Colonel Kennedy and his compatriots of this."

"Did you now?" Jack drawled, looking at Maybourne as he spoke.

"We will be revisiting this matter at a later time, gentlemen," Hammond said firmly. He turned his attention back to Jolinar. "Please continue."

"Our agent had the name of the traitor and incontrovertible evidence," Jolinar continued. "We- Rosha, my previous host and I- were sent to retrieve them."

"Let me guess, it was a setup the whole time," Jack said.

Jolinar nodded. "They were following our agent. We were approaching the rendezvous when Cronus' Jaffa surrounded the market square." Jolinar shook her head. "Seconds later and they would have had us. As it was, we were both still outside the cordon, but with a squad of Jaffa between us.

"The ashrak realized his mistake almost immediately," Jolinar continued. "Yahrniss- our agent- shouted out the traitor's name before turning and fleeing. I don't know if they managed to get away or not." She paused. "Even though we now knew who the traitor was, Yahrniss was still the only one who could prove it. I knew we had to draw the bulk of the pursuit after me." She smiled wryly. "The System Lords have placed a substantial bounty on me, so I... taunted the ashrak. Told him my name as we mocked his incompetence, then made a dash for our ship. It was enough to draw him after us. He managed to catch up to us in hyperspace," she continued, "and forced us back into normal space near Nasya. Tel'taks aren't armed, but they're significantly larger and heavier than ashrakim needle ships, so," Jolinar's lips twitched in a slight smile, "Rosha 'played bumper cars' as Sam puts it- as we entered the atmosphere, hoping to do enough damage that it wouldn't survive re-entry." She shook her head. "For a brief moment I thought she might have succeeded.

"That hemisphere of Nasya is mostly ocean," Jolinar continued. "I know we bounced a few times; it was pure luck our last one ended on a small island, rather than open water. We were unconscious for a time- I don't know how long. Rosha was gravely injured; it was all I could do just to stop the worst of the bleeding.

"There were some men fishing nearby; they came over to investigate. Rosha... offered the leader a reward- gold- if he would take me to the chappa'ai. I buried her body at sea the next day." Jolinar gave a wry smile. "Even with gold in the offing Quinta wasn't about to dump a full hold. Nasyan fishing vessels aren't exactly fast; loaded down it took a good two weeks to get back to Quinta's village. And the chappa'ai. The rest you know."

"You were only in Quinta for a few weeks?" Daniel asked. "Less than a month?"

"Approximately."

"Not two or three months?"

"No," Jolinar said slowly.

"Daniel?" Jack asked.

"Talia said Quinta had been wounded-" Daniel gestured to the side of his neck, "-here a few months ago and..." his voice trailed off.

Jolinar stiffened. "You think that I- Like a Goa'uld?!" she sputtered, outrage plain in her voice. "He- His- About three months ago his ship was caught in a sudden squall," she continued in a clipped tone. "They tried lowering the sail but lost control. One of his crew went overboard; Quinta himself was struck- he didn't know by what. It actually cracked two of the vertebrae in his neck and had been causing him a good deal of pain; one of the first things I did was repair them." Jolinar glared at Daniel. "I trust this matches up with what Talia told you, Dr Jackson?" she asked frostily.

Daniel blinked and adjusted his glasses. "Umm, yes actually. It does. But-"

"But you already knew the 'correct' answer so you didn't-" Jolinar clamped her jaws shut and glared at Daniel for a long moment before bowing her head.

"The Tok'ra," Sam said in an even tone, not looking at Daniel as she spoke, "prefer to enter through the mouth. It's less damaging to the host."

"So why do the Goa'uld go through the back of the neck?" Jack asked.

"According to Jolinar, it's because they do not wish to remember the horror and disgust on their host's face every time they look in a mirror." Sam paused. "It's why she thought she was being rescued when I started mouth-to-mouth on Quinta."

"So... just a misunderstanding then?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrows as he spoke. Sam hesitated, then bowed her head.

Jolinar spread her hands. "Logically, there is no way the Tok'ra could have even known which planet I was on, much less organized a rescue. The only defense I can make is that I was not exactly thinking logically at the time. Beyond that-" Jolinar hesitated, then continued. "Beyond that, taking an unwilling host is... frowned upon amongst the Tok'ra."

"Ya don't say," Jack murmured.

Jolinar drew in a breath and turned to Daniel. "My apologies for my outburst, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel shook his head. "There were too many anomalies between what we knew- what we thought we knew- and Talia's testimony. I should have followed up."

"What concerns me," Hammond interrupted, "are those death gliders. Can we expect them to continue pursuing you, even with the ashrak dead?"

"To be honest, General, I have no idea," Jolinar replied. "Their attack makes no sense. I had to go through the chappa'ai; all the ashrak had to do was wait. If anything the chaos from the attack would have made things more difficult for him, not less. Plus, death gliders aren't hyperspace-capable, so there has to have been a ha'tak somewhere in the Nasyan system."

Jack shrugged. "So this Crow-mass guy gave his ashcrack a mothership. Or sent one along at least. And when we gated in-"

Jolinar shook her head. "But Nasya isn't one of Cronus' planets. It's in Ba'al's territory."

"Ball?" Jack asked. "Like in 'follow the bouncing...'?"

"Ba'al," Daniel corrected, "meaning 'master' or 'lord' in various Canaanite languages." He looked at Jolinar. "I'm guessing Ba'al and Cronus don't get along?"

Jolinar snorted. "Goa'uld by their very nature don't 'get along'; System Lords even less so." She pursed her lips in momentary thought, then continued. "Sending a ha'tak into another System Lord's territory is pretty much a declaration of war on its own, much less attacking one of their planets. And while Cronus is impulsive, he isn't stupid." She turned to Hammond. "My apologies, General, but the entire attack simply makes no sense, given the information we have."

"Are you saying this attack was a coincidence?" Hammond demanded.

Jolinar spread her hands. "They do happen," she said, a grimace revealing her own distaste for that explanation.

Hammond drummed his fingers on the table in momentary thought. "Teal'c?"

"I know very little of this Goa'uld, General Hammond. Although I have heard that he once eradicated all life on two planets, rather than have them fall into his enemy's hands."

"In other words, your standard megalomaniacal snakehead," Jack commented dryly.

"Don't dismiss him so easily, Colonel," Jolinar said. "The vast majority of Goa'uld- System Lords among them- believe their own propaganda," she continued. "They don't just pose as gods, they truly believe they are gods. That makes their reactions... fairly predictable."

"So this Ball guy...?"

"Proclaims himself a god, yet he has formed an advisory council, which includes his First Prime along with several other high-ranking Jaffa, and some lesser Goa'uld who have sworn loyalty in exchange for his protection."

"Gods command," Teal'c stated flatly. "They do not consult."

Jolinar shook her head. "By all reports, this god not only consults, he actively encourages and even participates in debates among his closest subordinates. And that method of ruling has led him from one resource-poor moon to the ranks of the System Lords in only a few centuries."

The telephone by Hammond rang, interrupting any response. "Hammond," he answered. "I'll be right there," he continued after a brief pause. "And Major, please inform Security that the prisoner is to be returned to the infirmary." Placing the handset back in its cradle, he shoved his chair back and rose to his feet. The others stood- except for Sam, who was only able to rise a few inches before being stopped by her restraints. Hammond waved her back down. "Stay seated, Captain."

"Thank you, sir."

"We will reconvene at 0830 tomorrow," Hammond declared. "Dis-"

"Sir," Sam called. "With respect, but may I be returned to the stockade instead?"

"If I recall correctly, Captain, less than 48 hours ago you were clinically dead," Hammond responded. "And up until a few hours ago you were in a deep coma. Are you certain you wouldn't prefer to remain in the infirmary?"

"I am, sir."

"Return to the infirmary," Hammond ordered as the two SFs re-entered the briefing room. "Dr Frasier will examine you and make her recommendation."

Sam held up her hands, allowing the SF to replace the handcuffs on her wrists."Yes, sir." The SF went behind Sam's chair- careful to stay below the level of his partner's gun- and unhooked her from the cable. "Thank you, sir."

The SF stepped back and straightened. "Stand up, please." Sam stood, and allowed the SF to help her step over the cable.

"Leave the cable," Hammond ordered. "Dismissed." He pivoted on his heel and went through the door into his office.

"Carter."

"Sir?"

"Infirmary beds that bad?"

"Have you ever tried sleeping in five-point restraints, sir?" Sam gave a small smile. "Not to mention they make my nose itch like crazy."

"Hate when that happens."

Sam's smile widened slightly, then faded. "Good night, guys," she said softly before turning and shuffling through the door, her escorts trailing behind her.

"Bye, Sam," Daniel said softly. He walked with Jack and Teal'c, the three men staying silent until they reached Jack's office.

"Well?" Jack asked as he shut the door.

"If the Tok'ra are more than legend," Teal'c stated, "and if Jolinar is Tok'ra as she claims, it would be foolish not to consider the possibilities."

"A lot of 'ifs' in there, T," Jack replied as he sat behind his desk, the other two men finding their usual seats.

Daniel adjusted his glasses. "Either Jolinar's been taking acting lessons, or..."

"Or that really was Carter we were talking to back there," Jack finished.

Daniel broke the silence. "So... now what?"

Jack drew in a deep breath. "If-" Jack held up a finger to forestall any objection from Daniel. "If that is Carter we were talking to, then what we just saw in there, especially that who's-speaking-flipping-back-and-forth thing, implies she's made some sort of deal with the snake."

Teal'c stiffened. "Captain Carter would not willingly betray the Tau'ri."

Daniel had stiffened as well. "We're talking about Sam, Jack," he growled.

"I know!" Jack snapped. "I know," he repeated quietly. "And right now it looks like the best chance for Carter is if these Tok'ra are real, and they truly are working against the Goa'uld."

"You don't think Warner would have any more luck now than he did with Kawalsky," Daniel said quietly.

"Even if he did, it wouldn't help Carter," Jack answered. "As far as the Air Force is concerned, a Goa'uld is a Goa'uld is a Goa'uld. And it looks like Carter is working with the one in her head."

"Surely this counts as some sort of duress or-"

Jack shook his head. "Doesn't matter, Daniel. She's an officer of the United States Air Force."

"And the penalty Captain Carter would face?" Teal'c asked.

"Death. Or other such punishment as a court-martial may direct."

"And-" Daniel cleared his throat. "And if the Tok'ra are real?"

"Then she's been cooperating with a potential ally," Jack answered. "But we'll need something more than Jelly-jar's say-so for Hammond to justify taking a chance like this."

Daniel nodded as he stood. "I'll see what I can find."

"There is one thing I am curious about, O'Neill," Teal'c broke in.

"Only one?"

"Why has the NID made no attempts to have Captain Carter removed from the SGC?"

Daniel paused in the doorway. "Actually, I've been wondering that myself, Jack."

"Short answer, we got lucky. Longer answer," Jack paused. "You're aware that, despite Maybourne and Kennedy and the rest, the NID is technically a civilian agency?"

"They are?"

Teal'c nodded. "Indeed, Daniel Jackson. The Central Intelligence Agency's Office of Scientific Intelligence was created-"

"-and was eventually split off in 1980-something-or-other as an independent agency reporting directly to the head of the US Intelligence Community," Jack interrupted. "Daniel can read the brochure later. In any event, the new Director seems to feel that her predecessor allowed the military part of the NID far too much leeway. Add in the Secretary's sudden retirement to 'spend more time with his family' and you've got a lot of uncertainty in bureaucrat-land. Enough that our friends in the Pentagon have been able to keep this whole... thing with Carter in a holding pattern. For now at least."

"Such dissension within their ranks would explain why Colonels Maybourne and Samuels do not seem to be working in concert, as they have before," Teal'c stated.

"So where does Captain Davis fit into all of this?" Daniel asked.

Jack shrugged.

"Got it," Daniel said as he turned to leave once more.

"While it is possible that the Tok'ra may become allied with the people of Earth, Daniel Jackson, you would do well to keep in mind that they are not allies at this time."

Daniel hesitated. "I know," he said quietly, and continued out the door.

"Hassock?" Jack asked, once Daniel had left.

"Ha'ssak," Teal'c corrected. "It means foolish or ignorant one."

"Not a bad judge of character. For a snake."

"Jolinar does have access to all of Captain Carter's knowledge and memories."

"Good point."


	3. Chapter 3

"Except for the naquadah and some other anomalies in your blood work that I assume are from Jolinar, you check out just fine," Janet announced, pulling off her gloves and pitching them into a nearby wastebasket. She took a pen from her pocket and bent over some paperwork on the counter. "Just let me finish up here and I'll let the General know."

"Janet," Sam said, "Jolinar would like to speak with you, if you'll permit it."

Janet froze, her eyes darting to the guard standing by the door of the examination room. Sergeant Astley met Janet's eyes and gave a slight nod before returning her full attention to Sam. Janet swallowed heavily and turned to face Sam. "All right."

Jolinar raised her head. "Doctor Frasier, I wished to thank you for-"

"You were a patient under my care," Janet interrupted flatly.

Jolinar inclined her head in acknowledgment. "Nonetheless. Also," she continued, chains clinking as she straightened from her slight bow, "as Sam's physician, you should be aware that both the naquadah and the 'anomalies' will remain, once Sam and I have been separated." Jolinar paused. "They won't harm Sam, but they will affect her. I can ask Ald- one of our healers to provide you with information so you'll have an idea of what to expect."

"I appreciate that."

"One more thing. I-" Jolinar hesitated. She took a deep breath and continued, "I would ask that you convey my sincere apologies to Cassandra."

Janet's lips thinned. "Cassie had a nightmare last night," she began in a conversational tone. "She was back on Hanka. It's not the first time she's had that nightmare, and I doubt it will be the last," she added parenthetically. "But there was one difference this time. You know what that was?" Jolinar shook her head. "This time," Janet continued, "it wasn't Nirrti conducting the experiments. It was you." Janet glared up at the taller woman. "And now, you're sorry?! Sorry doesn't even come close to cutting it!"

"I know," Jolinar responded quietly.

"You know?" Janet laughed bitterly. "You have access to all of Sam's memories; you damn well knew what this would do to her. I just hope it was worth it."

"I... don't know," Jolinar said softly. "My- my partners," she continued, "and my friends, were in danger- still are in danger- from someone they think is a friend. That I thought was a friend. I am sorry- more than I can say- that I wasn't able to think of a better way than frightening a young child and giving her nightmares. But I didn't have a choice."

"You could have told us the truth from the beginning," Daniel said from the doorway.

"You seemed to be finished, Doctor," Astley explained. "I figured it would be all right to let him in."

"Oh we are nowhere near finished," Janet snapped as she gathered up her paperwork. "But for now, you can just get the hell out of my infirmary." She stalked out the door, brushing past Daniel as she went.

Jolinar watched silently as Janet left. "Would you have believed me?" she asked, once the doctor had gone.

"Probably not," Daniel admitted. "But it's not exactly making it easy for us to trust what you're telling us now."

Jolinar sighed. "May I have a piece of paper and a pen?"

Daniel looked at Astley, who shrugged. "Just put them on the counter, please, Doctor, and step away."

Daniel pulled his ever-present notepad out of his breast pocket, tore off a sheet and placed it, along with a pencil, on the counter before stepping back.

At Astley's nod Jolinar shuffled forward, wrote something, then shuffled back to her original position, leaving the paper and pencil on the counter.

"Doc?" Astley asked.

"It's a gate address," Daniel said.

Jolinar nodded. "Siwa," she answered. "A minor planet, deep within Apophis' territory. Teal'c can confirm that it has little to no strategic value, either in terms of position or natural resources."

Daniel's eyebrows rose. "Then why-"

"It is where Apophis has hidden Amaunet."

"Sarge?" The guard stationed in the corridor stuck his head inside the room. "We're clear." Standing orders required the Security Force to clear the route of unauthorized onlookers before any prisoner transfer.

"Daniel? Are you-" Sam stopped. "Say something. Please."

"Time to go," Astley said.

"After you." Daniel gestured towards the door and the corridor beyond. "You said- Jolinar said the Tok'ra could safely remove a Goa'uld from its host," he said as they walked.

Sam drew in a deep breath. "I'd... better let Jolinar explain."

Jolinar raised her head. "Tok'ra healers have successfully removed Goa'uld symbiotes from their hosts," she confirmed. "There have also been more than a few failures as well. The younger the Goa'uld, and the more recent the implantation, the better the odds." Jolinar hesitated. "Doctor Jackson, Amaunet is a Senior Queen. She was alive when Ra discovered this planet, and your species. The chances for a successful removal are... not good."

"But it is possible."

"Doctor Jackson- Daniel, I-" Jolinar sighed. "Yes, it is technically possible."

"This is as far as you go, Doc," Astley said, motioning towards the door of the stockade in explanation.

"Daniel?" Sam said. "Don't-"

"Get my hopes up?" Daniel interrupted with a slight smile. "I know, Sam. I know."

Sam smiled slightly in return. "Of course you do," she said softly. "Good night, Daniel."

"Night, Sam."

  
  


  
  


  
  


"I do not believe the Tau'ri were responsible for this, my Lord."

Ba'al held up the small brass cartridge he had been idly twirling between his fingers.

"Oh I have no doubt they were here, my Lord," his First Prime answered. "But," Cha'mal continued, indicating one of the numerous burns from staff cannon fire that scarred the ground around them, "by all accounts they prefer their primitive firearms to staff weapons. Additionally, they have no ships."

"Something destroyed Apophis' ha'taks," Ba'al responded mildly.

"The shol'va Teal'c was Apophis' First Prime for many years," Cha'mal answered. "It is more likely that he suborned others who remain within Apophis' ranks, undetected, and it was they who sabotaged Apophis' ships."

Ba'al continued to twirl the cartridge between his fingers. "These Tau'ri are far from the simple primitives Ra left behind," he mused. His fingers closed into a fist, trapping the cartridge. "But they are not the immediate threat," he declared. "Leave a squad here to determine who is both foolish enough to risk my wrath, and cowardly enough to fear to face me." He pivoted on his heel and strode towards the chappa'ai. It blossomed to life as he approached, thanks to the Jaffa stationed by the chappa'kree. Behind him, Cha'mal gave instructions to the leader of the squad designated to remain behind, then hurried to catch up with his master as the System Lord stepped through the event horizon.

  
  


  
  


  
  


Sergeant Michael "Big Mike" Barrett tapped the side of his water glass with a table knife, paused, and tapped again. Gradually, the noise level in the room died down as the other diners turned their attention to him. "Ladies, gentlemen and fellow law enforcement personnel," he began, holding his wineglass as he spoke. "Tonight, we honor one of our own, who will always be one of our own, even as he goes on to bigger and better things." Big Mike raised his glass. "To the FBI's finest, Special Agent Malcolm Barrett."

Malcolm Barrett acknowledged the toasts and cheers with an embarrassed smile. "Thank you, everyone," he said. "Thank you all. Thank you."

"Speech! Speech!" chanted several diners.

Barrett held up a hand for silence. "I'd like to thank everyone here," he began. "Most especially, thank you Mom and Dad, for supporting me, and believing in me, and even for kicking my ass from time to time."

"Gotta keep ya honest, kid," Big Mike called over the general laughter.

"Actually, I was talking about Mom," Barrett shot back to even louder laughter, including Big Mike's. Genevieve Barrett shot her son a reproving glare that was completely undercut by the proud smile that returned to her face a moment later. "To Little Mike and Mary Margaret and Katie Grace, the best big brother and sisters a guy could ask for. To my darling Clare, thank you for sticking with me through this insanity." Barrett felt her hand slip into his and responded with a loving squeeze. "To all of you, and to the ones who can't be here tonight. And finally, to Simon and his staff for this wondrous feast. Let's eat!" he concluded to general cheers.

"Are you still working at the Pentagon, dear?" Genevieve asked, once everyone had gotten their food and were busy with their own conversations.

Clare Tobias shook her head. "Actually, I'm headed out to Colorado at the end of the week."

"Oh, that's too bad," Genevieve responded. "I thought the two of you were going to have some time together in the same city."

"So did I," Tobias admitted. "But I've been trying for this duty station for a while now and..." she shrugged. "That's the Air Force."

"Besides Mom, I'm only assigned to DC long enough for the FBI to decide where to send me," Barrett added. "Day after tomorrow, they could have me out in Minnesota monitoring fertilizer purchases."

Genevieve shook her head. "I don't know how you kids do it."

"So, what'll you be doing out there?" Big Mike put in.

"Deep space radar telemetry."

Big Mike blinked. "Sounds... interesting."

"Oh it is," Tobias answered. "Really."

Barrett shook his head. "You forget, Dad, you're talking to a genuine rocket scientist here. They have interests incomprehensible to us mere mortals."

Tobias responded by sticking her tongue out at him. "I'm an aerospace engineer, thank you very much, not some head-in-the-clouds scientist."

Barrett rolled his eyes. "Engineers are the ones who actually do the work; the ones who get their hands dirty," he informed his parents.

"And don't you forget it, mister."

Barrett stuck his tongue out at her.

Later, in the dim moonlight coming through the bedroom window, Barrett said, "That is still one of the worst cover stories I've ever heard."

Tobias sat up, resting her weight on one elbow. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Agent Barrett," she replied neutrally. Her expression softened. "Mal, stop worrying. I'll be inside a granite mountain," she continued, placing her free hand on Barrett's face, "in the middle of the continent. I'll be fine."

"Doing deep space radar telemetry."

"Yes," Tobias said firmly.

Barrett glared at her, then sighed. "It's just... this whole... thing is setting off every cop instinct I've got."

Tobias snorted. "Cop instinct or worried boyfriend instinct?" Barrett grimaced in acknowledgment. "I worry about you too," Tobias continued, laying her head back down on Barrett's chest. "Those shotgun-toting Minnesota farmers aren't any less scary than all those hopped-up junkies and tweakers were when you were a uniform on patrol."

"There really weren't that many," Barrett protested, pulling the blankets back up to cover them both. "And most of them were pretty sad, actually."

"All it takes is one."

"All right," Barrett sighed. "Just promise me you'll be careful?

"As long as you do the same."

  
  


  
  


  
  


Jolinar moaned at the feel of her lover's lips on the base of her throat. Bringing her hand up, she was horrified to feel not hair, but bare scalp. Her eyes met Bynarr's, cloudy with lust and nish'mate', and she could feel her gorge rise as she stroked him, encouraging his exploration of her body.

_Jolinar-_

Her lovers- her mates- stood over them, watching. She could see the disgust, the contempt, the betrayal on their features. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

_Jolinar!_

"Please!" as they stepped away. "No, please!" as her hands continued to caress Bynarr. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please!" as they turned their backs to her.

_Jolinar, wake up!_

Jolinar threw off the blanket and scrambled out of bed, slamming up against the cell bars. _They haven't- it's the same kind of lock-_

_Give me control._

_-we could break it as easily as the ashrak-_

_Give me control now!_

Sam drew in a ragged breath as she rested her head against the bars.

"Step away from the cell door now."

She lifted her head to see an SF, his service weapon out and aimed at her. "Sorry. Sorry." Sam stepped back quickly, showing him her open and empty hands. Something in the guard's voice suggested that this had not been the first time he'd spoken. "Mistake. Sorry."

The guard eyed Sam, then spoke into the microphone clipped to his shoulder. "Everything seems to be under control here." He listened for a moment, headed tilted slightly to the side with the earpiece, then responded "Roger that." He holstered his weapon, nodded politely to Sam, then used his keycard to exit the stockade.

Sam collapsed onto the bed, not noticing as her back and shoulders hit the wall with a dull thud. _And just what the hell was that?!_

_You've been through my memories-_

_I thought we had an agreement._

_We do, we do. My apologies. It won't happen again._

Sam shifted, bringing her feet up and curling her toes over the edge of the cot. _I- I was looking for strategic information- troop strength- ship movements- things like-_

_Good._

_Who- What-_

_That's not important._

_Jolinar..._

_My previous mission- the one before this one,_ Jolinar responded finally, _did not go well either. I was discovered fairly quickly and sent to the prison-moon of Netu to be interrogated._

_Discovered? Or..._

_I've been wondering that myself,_ Jolinar answered. _Bynarr is- or probably was by this point- the warden,_ she continued. _He had also become addicted to nish'mate'._ Jolinar paused. _Nish'mate' is a derivative of nish'lak; what is commonly called Queen's Breath-_

_Like Hathor._

_Hathor? Ra's Queen? She's alive? Wonderful. Just wonderful._

Sam grimaced. _Yeah, sorry about that. We'll get her next time._ She paused. _Nish'mate'... induces lust... desire... sexual desire... in symbiotes._

_Yes_ , Jolinar confirmed. _But without the... suggestibility nish'lak imparts as well._

_Is that why the Goa'uld- the System Lords- have banned nish'mate'?_

_To the Goa'uld, sexual desire in a symbiote is an... aberration. An perversion of the natural order. Only queens- and their 'Beloveds'- should feel the need to mate._

_But you- the Tok'ra... feel what the host feels. What I feel. Including..._

_Yes,_ Jolinar confirmed. _We- the Tok'ra- host and symbiote both- feel as one. The longer you and I are together, the more our emotions- and our desires- will synchronize._ Jolinar paused. _It took Rosha several years to be able to access my knowledge as easily as she did her own, even with my help. You... have a frightening mind, Samantha Carter._

Sam swallowed heavily. _I'm... kind of wishing I didn't, right now._ She shuddered. _The Goa'uld... know nothing but force... domination... even when-_

_They are not exactly my favorite memories._

Sam broke the silence that had fallen. _You- you have to tell them. If they learn-_

_No._

_I know you're afraid they'll lea-_

_Enough! We're separating; it won't be any of your concern after that. And- And what happened then has nothing to do with where we are now. Unless you're planning on using the same tactics to get out of this... place?_

_Once we've separated, I plan on coming back to this... place._

_And you're confident they'll take you back?_

Sam swung her legs over to lie on her side, folding the too-thin pillow in half in a futile quest to give it enough bulk for comfort. _Good night, Jolinar._

_Sam, I-_

_Good night._

She lay with her eyes open for a long time after that, watching the red light of the sensor lasers illuminate the drifting dust motes.


	4. Chapter 4

"Up and at 'em, campers!" Jack smirked, the metal cup in his hand held poised to be run over the cell bars a second time. "Rise and shine!"

"I'm up," Sam growled as she relaxed out of the automatic defensive stance she'd assumed even before coming fully awake. "Sir." She swiped at her hair. "What time is it?"

Jack grinned. "0615, Captain. Jelly-jar awake?"

"Jolinar is awake, yes, sir."

The grin disappeared from Jack's face. "Care to explain last night?"

"Bad dream, sir."

"Didn't know snakes could dream."

"With respect, Colonel," Sam said finally, "why are you here?"

"Change of plans," Jack answered as the stockade door opened behind him. An SF carried in a small table, setting it down against the wall opposite the cell. A second SF followed, bearing a pad of paper and three sharpened pencils, which he placed on the table. "Hammond has a... thing," Jack continued, "so once you've had your breakfast you, or rather Jolinar, is going to start writing down every single bit of information she has on the Goa'uld. Troop strength, home bases, alliances, feuds- the whole shebang."

"I can type a lot faster than I can write, sir. Especially if other people need to read it."

"No way you're getting anywhere near a computer, Carter," Jack responded. "Just," he waved a hand towards the paper and pencils, "try to keep it more or less legible."

"Sir," Sam acknowledged. She lowered her head.

"And if I do this for you, Colonel, what then?" Jolinar challenged.

Jack shrugged. "Who knows? But not doing it isn't going to help anything. Ooh, look. Oatmeal!" he added as the guard brought in a tray. "Well enjoy, and I'll be back later to see how far you've gotten."

Jolinar scowled as Jack casually sauntered out of the stockade. _Is he deliberately trying to be as annoying as possible?_

_I presume that's a rhetorical question?_

Jolinar grumbled something about smart-ass hosts that Sam didn't quite catch as she turned their back to the door and moved to the far side of the cell so the guard could open the door and bring in their oatmeal.

  
  


  
  


As soon as the door to the stockade had closed behind him, Jack straightened and strode briskly down the corridor. He was only a few steps away from the elevator when the door slid open to reveal Daniel and Maybourne.

Maybourne gestured politely. "After you, Doctor."

"You might as well stay in there," Jack said, raising his voice slightly to get their attention. "No visitors. Hammond's orders."

"But Jack-"

"Ah!" Jack held up a finger as he stepped into the elevator. "No visitors means no visitors, Daniel. Period. End of discussion. You eaten yet?"

Daniel scowled, but pressed the button for level 22 and the base mess hall. "When's Hammond expected back?"

Jack shrugged. "Late tonight... tomorrow...?"

Daniel glanced over at Maybourne. "I'm sorry, Colonel, did you have someplace you needed to be?"

"I've already had breakfast," Maybourne answered. "25, please." Daniel pressed the requested button.

Jack turned to Maybourne. "Oh yeah; you, Samuels and Captain Davis will be allowed to question Jolinar between noon and 1800 hours- work it out among yourselves. There will be a pair of SFs present at all times in case of emergency. The sessions will be recorded, of course, and I may be popping in from time to time as well. Just to make sure everything's going smoothly, of course."

Maybourne nodded. "Of course, Colonel." The men rode the rest of the way down in silence.

Jack gave an experimental sniff as he stepped off the elevator. "Is it french toast day, Daniel? I think it's french toast day."

"It's Wednesday, Jack." Daniel turned slightly to look back at the closing elevator doors. "He took that surprisingly well."

"Like I said, Daniel, french toast day."

Daniel rolled his eyes.

After they had gotten their breakfasts and joined Teal'c at his table, Jack sighed. "And once again, they lose it on the syrup." He looked up. "I swear those Canadians are intercepting the real stuff and fobbing this- this ersatz imitation off on us clueless Americans."

"I'm pretty sure the Canadian half of NORAD has its own sources of maple syrup, Jack. And did you just use the word 'ersatz'? At least semi-correctly?"

"Yeah, well, there's got to be some reason we're still getting this- this 'maple-flavored' junk, despite my repeated requests."

"I received your message, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c interjected. "I regret that I cannot say if those are the coordinates for the planet Siwa or not. However I can confirm Jolinar's assertion that it is of little strategic value, in terms of either position or natural resources."

"In other words, a nice, quiet place to hide something. Or someone."

"Indeed."

"Jack-"

Jack shook his head. "You're not going without Teal'c and I to watch your back."

Daniel grimaced. "And with Hammond in DC, you're the only one here with enough clout to watch Sam's back."

"Yeah," Jack answered. He paused. "There's room in the schedule to send a MALP- and maybe even a UAV if one's free- through for an hour or so after lunch," he offered.

Daniel looked up from his plate. "I'll take whatever I can get."

"Things not going well on the translating?"

Daniel sighed. "No matter how obscure the text, no matter how creatively I interpret I- nothing. Just... nothing. Nada, nic, nenio, nista- "

"The probabilities were opposed to achieving the results we wished, Daniel Jackson."

"The odds were against us, Teal'c." Daniel froze, fork halfway to his mouth. "Against," he murmured. "Opposed. In opposition to. Tok. Tok Ra." He sprang to his feet and declared, "I am an idiot!" before racing out of the mess hall, fork still clutched in one hand.

"Ya think he's going to want the rest of his french toast?"

  
  


  
  


"Morning, Lou," Colonel Robert Makepeace greeted the man entering the small conference room.

"Morning, sir," Major Louis Ferretti responded. He gestured to the stack of manilla folders on the table in front of Makepeace. "Anybody standing out so far?"

"Just got here a minute or so ago myself," Makepeace answered. He picked up the top third of the stack and held it out to Ferretti, who took it and sat in an empty chair.

"Good morning, Bob," Jack said as he entered a moment later. "Morning, Lou."

"Morning, Jack."

"Morning, sir." By long-standing agreement these meetings among the leaders of the three premier SG teams was a meeting of equals, so the other two men had not stood at Jack's entrance, even though he was the ranking officer. Makepeace held out the middle third of the stack.

Jack accepted his share of the stack with a heavy sigh. "Let's get through this so I can go home and watch the Red Wings kick Dallas' ass tonight. I mean, what the hell does Texas know about hockey?"

"You do remember where our commanding general is from, don't you?" Makepeace asked.

"They still stole our team," Jack growled. Makepeace shook his head.

The room was silent after that except for the turning of pages and the scratching of pens as the three men reviewed the files and took notes, folders passing between them as one man finished and passed it onto the next, until each had had the chance to review all of the files.

"Thoughts?" Jack asked, once they had finished reviewing the last file.

Makepeace and Ferretti exchanged glances. "This Tobias looks like she would make a good replacement for Carter," Ferretti said.

"We don't need to replace Carter," Jack stated flatly.

"Jack, Carter was a fine officer, one with a lot of potential," Makepeace responded. "But she's been snaked."

"I'd love to believe this whole 'good snake' thing, sir," Ferretti added. "I think we all would." Makepeace nodded. "But," Ferretti continued, "I keep thinking this snake isn't any better or nicer than the one that got Charlie Kawalsky. It's just smarter."

Jack leaned back in his chair and dragged his hands down his face. He sighed and admitted, "That scares me too. But," he continued, leaning forward once more, "I'm not ready to give up on Carter. Not yet."

Makepeace and Ferretti exchanged glances again, then both men nodded.

"Good." Jack leafed through the stack and pulled out Tobias' folder. "So which team do we want to put her on?"

"Since both Casey and Warren are going to the new teams, I'd like her on SG-2," Ferretti said. "It'd be nice to have someone who can do more than just kick and swear at some piece of tech that's gone wonky."

Jack looked over at Makepeace. "I don't know, Bob, isn't there some kind of rule about not having two mustangs on the same team?"

Makepeace smirked. "I think it's more of a guideline than an actual rule."

Ferretti rolled his eyes. Jack raised his eyebrows as Makepeace snorted. "With all due respect to the training one can get at the Springs and at Annapolis, of course, sirs," Ferretti said blandly.

"Of course," Jack responded, equally blandly. "All right, Lou, you've got your tech-weenie," he said, sliding the folder across the table to Ferretti. "Who's next?" He pulled the next folder off the top of the stack and opened it. "Baker, Alex..."

  
  


  
  


"In a way, this is almost worse."

"How so, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel indicated the devastation being transmitted from the MALP and UAV cameras. Jaffa corpses lay scattered about the chappa'ai and in a broad swath leading toward the remains of large building that lay smoldering in the distance. Blackened scars on the meadow grass and the blasted remains of trees gave mute testimony to the fierce battle that had been fought. "This can't be that old. If I- If I hadn't been so sure Jolinar was lying, that first-"

"Daniel Jackson, stop," Teal'c commanded. "Such speculation is pointless. You had no reason to trust Jolinar then, and little enough now."

"But you said it yourself, Teal'c. Siwa had no value- had nothing of value, except for- for Sha're. And now..." Daniel's voice trailed off.

"This is but a temporary defeat, Daniel Jackson. When General Hammond returns, we will investigate what has occurred here and resume our quest."

Jack let loose with a low whistle as he entered the control room and saw what was on the monitors. He glanced at Daniel, then said simply, "Hammond will be back in the morning. He's called a briefing for all team leaders and department heads at 0930."

Daniel nodded absently, his eyes never leaving the screens in front of him. "I'll be there."

"37 minutes, Dr. Jackson," Sergeant Westerholm said quietly from her post at the main terminal.

Jack turned and walked out of the control room, gesturing for Teal'c to follow him. "Do you think she's still alive?" he asked quietly, once they'd gone far enough to avoid any chance of Daniel overhearing them. "Not... in that castle... building... whatever-it-was?"

"Even more than territory, it is having control of a queen that makes a System Lord, a System Lord," Teal'c responded. "They are rare and thus, highly prized. Any Jaffa, from either side, who allowed a queen to be harmed would be made to suffer unspeakable agony, then revived in the sarcophagus to suffer again." Teal'c shook his head. "The attackers would not have risked destroying the building unless they knew Amaunet was no longer inside."

"Well, that's... good. I guess."

"Have Colonels Maybourne and Samuels, and Captain Davis, begun their interrogation of Jolinar?"

"Yeah. Speaking of, come with me. I've got something I want you to read."


	5. Chapter 5

Sam woke to the grating buzz and resonating clang of her cell door being opened. Samuels stood just outside, a zat'nik'tel in one hand. Two men she didn't recognize stood beside him, one an airman with his MP5 aimed at her, the other with a sergeant's stripes on his sleeve and the thick leather belt she'd worn before- although this time without the chains- and a pair of handcuffs in his hands. "Get up, turn around and face the wall," Samuels ordered.

Sam blinked. "Sir?" She looked around the stockade. "Where are-"

"I said, get up and face the wall!" Samuels yelled. "No talking."

Sam stood and turned to face the wall. _Something's not right here. It's the middle of the night. And that's the insignia for an Army sergeant, not Air Force._

"Take one step back," the sergeant ordered. "Lean forward, placing your hands on the wall to support your weight. Keep your arms straight." His partner moved to the side, keeping a clear field of fire.

_I agree,_ Jolinar answered as Sam complied. _Be cooperative; at least until we can figure out what's going on._ She paused. _Is the fact that he is apparently from the Army significant?_

The sergeant looped the belt around Sam's waist and pulled it snug. He took a step back. "Stand up, place your hands behind your head; fingers laced together." Sam obeyed. The sergeant stepped forward, fastening one cuff to Sam's wrist and guiding that arm down behind her back while pressing the other wrist against the back of her neck with his other hand. He then guided her other arm down as well and fastened the other cuff to her other wrist. He took a step back and said. "Turn around."

_As far as I know there are no Army personnel at the SGC. Only Air Force and Marines._

Sam complied, realizing as she did that the sergeant had also fastened the shackle on the back of the belt to the chain between her handcuffs.

Samuels moved forward and grabbed Sam's jaw. "Don't think you can fool me the way you have Hammond and the others," he snarled. "You're not Carter. Nothing of the host survives."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Sam ground out. "Sir." _We can get out of these cuffs, right?_

The two guards exchanged glances. "Sir," the sergeant began.

Samuels released Sam's jaw, shoving her head forcefully to one side as he did. She might have fallen if the sergeant hadn't grabbed her upper arm to steady her. "Let's go," Samuels ordered as he turned and stalked out of the stockade.

_They might do a little damage, but nothing I can't repair,_ Jolinar assured her.

_Oh goody,_ Sam replied, working her jaw from side to side as the sergeant escorted her out of the stockade. He still had a grip on her upper arm, but it was one of professional firmness, rather than the punishing display of power that Samuels' had been.

_At least bruises are easy enough to heal._

_No, wait_ , Sam ordered. _Don't heal them. In fact, can you enhance them?_

_I can, but wh- you want evidence._

_Precisely._ Sam paused. _The sergeant's wearing an MP's badge._

_While the airman does not appear to have an SF's badge. So... presumably he's not one?_

_But why bring in someone from another service? Between the SGC, NORAD and Peterson, not to mention Falcon-_

"Prisoner transfer," Samuels barked. Sam looked up, realizing they were approaching the checkpoint between NORAD and the SGC. "Coming through."

The two SFs on duty exchanged glances. "Sir," the SF stationed by the palm scanner began as his partner moved to stand in front of the metal detector, his carbine held at port arms. "We were not informed-"

"You're not authorized to be informed, airman. Now stand aside before I have both of you on report."

"We have our orders, sir," the guard by the scanner responded. He reached for the telephone. "I just need to get an authorization from the on-base commander before-"

"Fine," Samuels snapped. He turned back to face Sam and her two guards. The two SGC SFs exchanged glances again, then the guard by the scanner picked up the telephone.

Samuels pulled the zat'nik'tel from his belt and whirled, his first shot striking the SF by the metal detector. The other guard dropped the telephone and grabbed for his service weapon, but he was hit by Samuels' second shot before he could do more than start to pull it from its holster.

"What the-" The sergeant yanked Sam back, opening up a clear line of fire between his partner and Samuels.

Samuels turned back to face Sam and her guards. "You've seen the reports, Nimzicki; what happened to your brother. You know how dangerous this- this **thing** is. You both do."

Nimzicki looked at Sam. She looked back, wide-eyed. _His brother- he was the one Kawalsky's goa'uld killed. This is not good._

Nimzicki's jaw tightened, and he looked back to Samuels. "I've read the reports, sir."

"Airman Weterings?" Samuels challenged.

_Weterings- Weterings- Senior Airman Weterings was taken by Apophis when the Gate first activated._ Sam remembered. _She must have been his sister._

_So they both have reason to hate the Goa'uld._

Weterings gestured toward Sam with his MP5. "All my parents got back was a casket with a sandbag, sir."

_We never knew what happened to her body._

_It would have been considered offal; to be disposed of as quickly as possible._

"It's just-" Nimzicki gestured to the two stunned guards.

"They'll be fine, sergeant; the first shot only stuns, remember?" Samuels replaced the zat'nik'tel on his belt. "Obviously there's been some delay, some reason these two didn't get the proper orders. Now come on; we don't have much time," he called over his shoulder as he turned and headed for the elevator that would take them to the surface.

They passed through the next checkpoint at the entrance to NORAD without questions and out onto the base parking lot, stopping by a beige, government issue sedan.

Samuels pulled a hypodermic from his pocket and jabbed it into Sam's arm. _Oh fer cryin' out loud._

_I can filter this_ , Jolinar assured her as the guards bundled her into the back seat of the vehicle. _But it will take a bit, and we can't take a second dose. Act like it's working._

_Nnnot an ishue,_ Sam responded as she slumped in her seat.

  
  


  
  


"Report!" Jack barked as he strode into the security station.

Astley saluted. "Sir. It appears the prisoner has been abducted."

Jack returned the salute. "Abducted? Your call said the snake had escaped."

"That's what I thought at first, sir," she responded. "The guards stationed here were both hit by shots from a zat gun-"

"They all right?"

"Yes, sir. They're in the infirmary- along with the checkpoint guards." Jack nodded. "The main audio and visual feeds were turned off," Astley continued, "and several tapes removed, including the ones for the checkpoint, the elevator and the corridor approaching this room."

"So we've got nothing," Jack concluded.

"Not exactly, sir." Astley indicated the monitoring station. "We're in the process of switching from videotape to an all digital system-"

"Is there a point to this, Sergeant?"

"Yes, sir. The new cameras have an internal battery for backup. When it loses power, the camera takes a still picture once every five seconds and holds it on an internal memory card."

"And have we installed the new cameras?"

"We've installed about a third of them, sir. Including the ones in the stockade and at the checkpoint." Astley gestured to a laptop sitting on the desk. "I pulled the cards and- care to take a look, sir?"

Jack grinned as he sat. "Gotta love modern technology." He watched in silence as Astley went through the images, a tightening of his jaw the only visible outward reaction to the image of Samuels gripping Sam's jaw and the following one which showed him shoving her away. When Astley had finished, he asked, "Do we know who the two with Samuels are?"

"We know who they signed in as. We're trying to confirm their identities now. Also, sir," Astley continued, "officially we need a senior officer to request any security footage from NORAD."

Jack looked at her. "And unofficially?"

"The guard at the main gate happens to be a friend of Lance Corporal Robinson, and he happened to have a still showing the license number of Colonel Samuels' vehicle as it exited the gate up on his monitor when Robinson happened to stop by."

"Guards aren't supposed to have visitors while on duty," Jack said mildly.

"Yes, sir. I've already spoken with Robinson, sir. I also took the liberty of phoning our contact at the Colorado State Patrol and asking for a DNA-ORO bulletin to be issued."

"A what?"

"Do Not Apprehend- Observe and Report Only," Astley explained.

Jack nodded. "Anything?"

"Not yet, sir."

"Good job, Sergeant. I'll get you that footage from NORAD." Jack glanced at his watch. "I wonder if Hammond's left DC yet," he muttered.

  
  


  
  


Bert Samuels opened his eyes to see blonde hair and blue eyes looming above him. "Goa'uld!" he screamed. "Help! Goa'uld!" He scrabbled for the zat'nik'tel on his belt even as weight landed on his chest and legs.

"Code Gray! Bay Three!"

He grasped the zat'nik'tel, activated it-

"Oh sh- Code Silver! Code Silver, damn it!"

-and managed to fire even as the weapon was wrenched from his hand. A loud metallic crash added to the din.

"What the hell?!"

"I can't hold him! Get the damn straps!"

His hands were wrenched down by his sides and held there by bindings around his wrists- even as the weight on his chest and legs was replaced by broad straps holding him down. He looked around wildly, only then taking in the tiled walls and stainless steel surfaces of some sort of medical facility. Several people stood around him, two in stereotypical dark blue uniforms that identified them as some sort of security, the rest in hospital scrubs.

"Pulse is steady; breathing regular. No signs of injury, Professor."

Samuels craned his neck to see an apparently unconscious woman lying on the floor. A dark-haired young man knelt beside her.

"Are you with us now, Colonel? And don't worry- you'll live."

He turned his head to see an older woman with short blonde hair regarding him with a sardonic look on her face. One hand held the zat'nik'tel across her chest where Samuels could easily see it. "Th- That's a very dangerous-"

"Stargate."

Samuels blinked. "That's cla- I mean I don't- I have no idea what you're talking about," he stammered.

The blonde woman shook her head. "Damn it, Jack," she said quietly, almost to herself. "Nobody is to leave this room," she ordered.

"Just a damn minute, Nurse-"

"Unless I miss my guess, we are now smack-dab in the middle of a major national security incident, Doctor," the blonde senior nurse interrupted.

"That's ridiculous," the doctor sputtered.

"This got anything to do with that lightning guy from last year?" one of the security guards asked.

"It might."

"Doc, I got a wife and kids to support and I can't do that from freaking Leavenworth," the guard said. "Listen to the lady; she knows this stuff." The doctor's eyes widened but he said nothing further.

The nurse placed the zat'nik'tel on the counter and picked up the telephone. She dialed, fingers drumming impatiently as she waited. "Jack-" she began, only to scowl and hang up. "Damn answering machine." She dialed again, this time saying "Cheyenne Mountain Air Base, Office of Deep Space Radar Telemetry, please." She waited, then said, "Colonel Jack O'Neill, please." She listened, then answered, "Airman, I am going to say two words to you. Stargate and gould. Do I have your attention? Good. Now get me Jack O'Neill!" she barked.

She waited, fingers drumming against the counter once more. "Jack. Can you explain to me why some zoomie light colonel brought in here unconscious from a one-car woke up, started screaming about something that sounds like 'gould', and then managed to shoot my shadow gazer with some kind of ray gun before we got him strapped down?" She rolled her eyes. "I can't teach if I don't keep my license up, Jack. Plus Rose needed a little help covering this shift. Now-" She paused, listening. "I'm at Springs General." She looked over at Samuels. "Is your name Samuels?"

Samuels nodded slowly.

"Yes," she confirmed. "Hold on, I'll find out." She lowered the phone. "Tom," she said to the guard who had spoken earlier, "go see if anyone else was brought in with Colonel Raygun here and what their status is, please."

"Yes, ma'am." The guard slipped out the door, letting it swing shut behind him.

"One of the security guards was here during the 'incident' last year," the nurse spoke into the telephone once more. "He's checking now." She turned her back to the others in the room and said in a low voice, "I swear to God, Jack O'Neill, if this is another thing like-" She stopped, listened, then took a deep breath. "You'd better. I have control of the weapon," she continued in a normal voice, turning to face the others once more. "Just once, I think. She's unconscious, but apparently stable." She looked over at Samuels. "Why? What happens when you shoot somebody more than once?" Her eyes narrowed as Samuels paled. "Never mind, I think I can guess. Hold on, Tom's back."

"Two more guys, both in fatigues, both with minor injuries," the guard reported. "They've already been released and are sitting out in the waiting room now; waiting on this guy I guess."

The nurse relayed this information. "Just those two?" she repeated. The guard nodded. "Just those two." She listened, then relayed, "Are you sure there's not a blonde woman as well, with a hair cut like mine?"

The guard shook his head. "Just those two, Ms. O'Neill."

"Ms. O'Neill?" Samuels screeched.

"Jack's my ex," Sara explained absently. "Just those two," she repeated. She pulled the phone away from her ear. "I think he's a little upset with you, Colonel," she remarked mildly.

  
  


  
  


"What do we have, Colonel?" Hammond demanded as he strode through the emergency room doors.

"General," Jack acknowledged. He gave Hammond a quick rundown of what they knew, ending with: "Seems the Goa'uld mickey the NID came up with doesn't work as well as they thought. Jolinar played possum until she saw her chance, then she kicked the back of the driver's seat hard enough to make Weterings lose control and run off the road into a ditch. That's when Samuels got knocked out- idiot wasn't wearing his seat belt. Lucky for him the car had airbags," he added parenthetically. "Nimzicki didn't have a weapon since he was in the back with Jolinar," Jack continued, "but he did have the second syringe in his pocket. He managed to hit her with another dose before she broke her cuffs and escaped into the woods. Says she was staggering pretty badly but he wasn't able to follow. I sent Astley and Teal'c out to the crash site but they weren't-" Jack broke off. "I'll let them tell you."

Hammond turned to see Teal'c and Sergeant Astley entering the hospital. "Sir," Astley saluted. Teal'c nodded.

Hammond acknowledged Astley's salute. "What have you found, Tech Sergeant?"

"Teal'c managed to track Captain Car- track the prisoner cross-country for a little over two miles," Astley reported. "Then she hit the old highway and we lost her."

"There is evidence that a large, heavily laden vehicle had recently stopped," Teal'c elaborated. "I could find no sign of Jolinar's trail beyond that point."

"We're sure she didn't just start walking down the road for a bit?" Jack asked.

Astley shook her head. "We weren't that far behind her, and both county and state police run up and down that road on a regular basis. They would have seen her."

"Jolinar's trail was not difficult to follow," Teal'c answered. "Her steps were unsteady and she fell several times. I do not believe this was any sort of ruse."

"Unfortunately that section has nice wide shoulders from when they thought the interstate was going to go that way. Truckers like to pull off there to catch a few hours sleep, so nobody can remember which truck might have been parked there." Astley shrugged. "Which is technically illegal but as long as they don't stay too long the cops don't bother them."

Hammond nodded. "I know where you mean; there are always trucks there. Thank you, Sergeant. Please continue liaising with the police and keep us informed."

"Sir," Astley acknowledged and stepped away.

"I presume Area 51 has been notified?"

"The second gate? Yes, sir," Jack answered. "I had Major Todeshi fax Carter's picture and physical description over before he came here." He hesitated. "Sir, Carter didn't- doesn't- talk much about her family. Or at all, really."

Hammond sighed. "I'm not surprised. The captain's family is a... contentious subject." He held up a hand. "And that is all I'm prepared to say, Colonel. If you want to know more, you'll have to ask her yourself. And if I'm following where you're going the answer is: no, none of them live in this area."

Jack nodded. "Thank you, sir." He glanced down at the forms he held in his hands, then at Teal'c.

Teal'c's eyebrow rose slightly. "If you will pardon me, General Hammond, I must meet with an individual concerning an equine."

Hammond's lips twitched. "I believe it's: see a man about a horse, Teal'c." Teal'c nodded in acknowledgment and stepped away. Hammond reached out and plucked the thicker of the two sets of forms from Jack's hands. "Your ex-wife?" The forms Hammond now held were the ones given to civilians, mostly employees, who were authorized to have full knowledge of the Stargate program.

Jack glanced over to where Sara was sitting at a small table. "She's usually at the university- she teaches at the nursing school there. She was just here to help out- apparently they're a bit stretched right now."

"Aren't we all?" Hammond snorted. He looked over at Sara. "It's a good thing she was here. It'll make containing at least part of this mess easier."

Jack nodded. "Speaking of, I wouldn't have pegged Samuels as the type to stick his neck out this far."

"I agree; he did not do this on his own," Hammond responded.

"And Maybourne's tucked up all snug in his bed on base, been there all night apparently." Jack shrugged. "For what that's worth."

Hammond made a non-committal noise. "Have you questioned him yet?"

Jack shook his head. "I wanted to give him a little time to stew in his own juices before I brought the hammer down."

Hammond grinned. "Well, Colonel, it just so happens that I feel like doing a little hammering." He looked down at the forms in his hand, then handed them back to Jack. "Let me know what she decides."

Jack blinked. "Sir?"

"Son, I was ready to give her authorization after that whole business with the crystal whatever-it-was," Hammond responded gently. "I was just waiting for you to ask."

"That-" Jack cleared his throat, "that seemed too personal a reason."

Hammond smiled. "Just don't make a habit of it, Colonel. Dismissed."

"Sir," Jack acknowledged. He moved over to where Sara was sitting. "Hey."

Sara looked up. "Hey, yourself." She gestured to the forms in Jack's hand. "Bit thicker than last time."

"Yeah, umm- may I?"

"Go ahead."

Jack sat beside her and placed the two sets of forms between them. "This is what you filled out before," he said, indicating the smaller of the two stacks. "Same deal."

"And that one?"

"Authorizes you for full disclosure."

"What?!" Sara's eyes searched Jack's face. "You're serious."

Jack nodded. "I have to warn you; if you sign this," he tapped the full disclosure stack, "and then break it, the government will come down hard. We're talking life sentence in a federal penitentiary. Without parole. Even the death penalty is not off the table."

"If I do sign, will you tell me who- what- Charlie- you- who wasn't Charlie I know- or you, but-"

Jack placed his hand over Sara's and squeezed gently. "Yes." His mouth twisted. "It's not a particularly happy story though, even without... me."

Sara drew in a deep breath and gently disengaged her hand from Jack's. "I suppose if I'm going to risk the death penalty, I'd better read it first."

Jack gave a relieved smile and slid the stack in front of her. "You can skip the employment bits," he said. "Although this does let us reactivate your commission in an emergency." Jack's smile widened into an evil grin. ”Lieutenant.”

Sara narrowed her eyes. "No way in hell am I saluting you, Jack."

"Sir? Ma'am?" They looked up to see Astley standing nearby. "Pardon me, ma'am, but I need to speak with the Colonel for a moment."

Jack stood, and they stepped away from Sara. "What is it, Sergeant?"

"They found the truck, sir. And the trucker."

"Was he..."

"She was having an early breakfast at Mel's, that diner near-"

"I know the place."

"Yes, sir. In any event, she positively identified Captain Carter, says she dropped her off by the bus station."

"That's too easy," Jack declared.

"Yes, sir. The guards at the station are municipal police; they haven't seen anyone matching her description. Alerts have been sent out to all the buses that left during that time frame as well but..." Astley shrugged. "We'll follow up, but if these Tok'ra are even half as good at hiding from the Goa'uld as Teal'c says, this seems an obvious misdirection. And one more thing, sir; the driver only told the officer where she had dropped Captain Carter off after the officer assured her that Captain Carter was not fleeing from an abusive husband or boyfriend."

"So even that information depends on whether or not the truck driver believed the officer."

"Yes, sir."

"Terrific."


	6. Chapter 6

Daniel rolled his eyes as the sound of his doorbell echoed continuously through the small house. "Damn it, Jack, I'm fine," he muttered, even as he shut the shower off and grabbed a towel to wrap around himself. "There's no need for the whole coffee and donuts routine this morning." He strode through the living room to the front door and threw it open. "Jack I- Sam?!"

"Daniel. Hi. We're here to- Holy Hannah!" Sam's eyes widened and a grin spread across her face at the sight of Daniel's bare chest. "Working out with Teal'c has been good for you."

"Umm, yeah, thanks," Daniel stammered. "Sam, what-" A car horn blared from the street.

Sam grimaced. "Would you mind paying the taxi for me? Samuels and his goons didn't exactly grab my wallet on the way out."

Daniel retreated. "Wait. How did you-

Sam held up her hands. "I'll explain everything, Daniel, I promise," she interrupted as she stepped inside. "Right now the important thing is that we're surrendering into your custody." The taxi horn blared again. "And... paying that guy."

Daniel blinked. "We're? As in-?" He gestured vaguely toward his head.

Sam nodded. "Still here."

Daniel blinked again. "Ah, right." The taxi driver blew his horn a third time. "Just umm, just stay there." Sam stood, her hands still upraised as Daniel stepped past her and attempted to convey to the driver through various semaphore-like gestures that he would come out and pay as soon as he had put some clothes on. The driver stopped honking. Daniel looked at Sam. "Oh. Umm, never mind. Coffee should be just about ready," he told her as he headed for his bedroom. "You know where the cups are."

Sam lowered her arms. "There's no need to be generous on the tip though," she called as she went into the kitchen.

"Why not?"

"He got lost on the way here. Twice."

"Really?" Daniel responded, tugging his t-shirt down as he emerged from his bedroom. "This place is like two turns off the main road."

Sam came out of the kitchen, a pair of coffee mugs in her hands. "Yeah, well, apparently people in this neighborhood don't use taxis or something because he'd never heard of it." The taxi's horn sounded again. She shook her head. "Just pay him and- just pay him. Please." She placed the mugs on the coffee table and sat on the couch as Daniel went outside.

"So..." Daniel said as he came back inside and sat down on the opposite end of the couch. "You said you'd explain?" He picked up the mug closest to him and took a sip. "And good morning."

"Morning," Sam answered. "Before I start, you'd probably better call the Colonel and let him know I'm here."

"Ah. Right." Daniel set his cup down and reached for his phone.

"I'd try his cell first," Sam advised.

Daniel dialed, and waited for Jack to pick up. "Jack? Sam's here." He looked over at Sam. "Sitting on my couch, having coffee. She says she-"

"We."

"-they," he corrected, "are surrendering into my custody." He paused, listening. "I don't know; that's what I'm hoping to find out." He listened again, then rolled his eyes. "They took a cab here and knocked on my door, Jack. I think it's safe to say they're not exactly a- a flight risk. Fine. We'll see you when you get here." He hung up the phone. "Jack did bring up a good point. Why are you here? I'm assuming General Hammond didn't just let you go."

Sam shook her head. "The first I knew about anything was being woken up by my cell door opening." She explained the sequence of events, ending with: "I had her drop me off near the bus station; I figured that would be the best place to find a cab this early." Sam rolled her eyes. "You saw how well that worked out."

Daniel nodded, taking another sip of his coffee. "Why stay?" he asked. "Why didn't Jolinar use this as a chance to escape and go back to the Tok'ra?"

Sam lowered her head. "Despite what the story-tellers would have you believe, escape through a single, well-guarded portal is not exactly easy, even for me," Jolinar answered.

"Nice to know you have confidence in your abilities."

"There is the second gate, of course," she continued. "But we have other priorities."

Daniel took a sip of his coffee. "Other priorities?"

"Technologically advanced civilizations are not exactly common," Jolinar answered. "Technologically advanced civilizations willing to actively oppose the Goa'uld are even rarer." She paused to take another sip of coffee. "We have a common enemy. It seems foolish to waste this opportunity."

Daniel froze. "You're talking about an alliance. Between Earth and the Tok'ra."

"Yes."

Daniel carefully set his mug on the table. "To be honest, from what I've seen so far, I'm not so sure that's the best idea."

Jolinar started to speak, then lowered her head. "When Jolinar and I go to the Tok'ra to be separated, come with us," Sam said. "Spend some time with the Tok'ra. Talk with them, both host and symbiote. See for yourself that they are nothing like the Goa'uld."

Daniel snorted. "You know Jack isn't going to let one member of his team go alone into a-" Daniel formed air-quotes with his fingers "-'nest of snakes' without him being there to do his mother-hen thing, let alone two of them."

Sam smiled sadly. "Am I still a member of his team, Daniel? I do have some idea of what this... cooperation with Jolinar must look like from your perspectives. Am I still Sam Carter of SG1? Or am I just another snake now?" Sam turned her head to face the door and raised her voice. "You can come in, sir. We're not holding Daniel hostage, I promise."

The door swung open to reveal Jack, with Teal'c a step behind him. "The idea never even crossed my mind."

"Yes, sir," Sam acknowledged. She took a final sip of coffee, then held her hands out in position to be cuffed.

Jack looked at her hands, then raised his eyes to meet her gaze. "And if you think I'd ever give up on a member of my team, Carter, then that snake's been messing with your mind more than I thought."

Sam flushed and dropped her eyes. "Yes, sir." She lowered her hands to her lap and bowed her head.

"The invitation extends to you as well, Colonel, Teal'c," Jolinar said. "Come with us to the tunnels. Let us prove to you that despite our common biology, the Tok'ra are nothing like the Goa'uld."

"It means that much to you?" Daniel asked. "That we see you as different from the Goa'uld?"

"Yes." Jolinar lowered her head.

The three men exchanged glances, then Jack said, "Time to head back, Carter, Jolinar." Sam held out her hands once more. Jack smiled wryly. "It's pretty evident regular cuffs won't hold you if you don't want them to."

"Hurts like hell breaking them, sir. And..." Sam shoved back the sleeves of her coveralls, revealing that the individual cuffs themselves were still around her wrists. "I'll still need the key- or a hacksaw- to get out of them entirely."

Jack turned to signal the SF who had been waiting in the front yard. "You break this set, Captain, and they're coming out of your pay."

"Understood, sir."

  
  


  
  


Sam sighed and watched as a blob of oatmeal fell off the spoon and back into the bowl. _We should have asked Daniel to make us some toast before he called the Colonel. With butter. And jam._

_Compared to what most Goa'uld feed their prisoners, this is- is- Well, it's not that bad. And it's hot. Or it was._

_Pancakes. Soft, fluffy, golden-brown pancakes. With maple syr-_

The grating buzz that accompanied the opening of any door in the stockade sounded and Teal'c walked in, a pile of clothing in his hands. "Please step back from the door and turn around, Captain Carter." Sam complied. She heard the door to her cell open, heard not only his footsteps but felt the tingle of naquadah from his prim'ta grow and lessen as Teal'c entered, then departed her cell. She heard the door to her cell close once more. "You may move freely, Captain Carter."

Sam turned to look at her bunk and realized that the pile of clothing Teal'c had brought in were a set of her BDUs, including her tac vest. A fresh set of underclothing- socks, panties and sports bra- sat on top. She turned to face Teal'c, who nodded in confirmation. "Please prepare for travel through the chappa'ai. You will be escorted to the gate room when it is time to depart."

Sam grinned. _They've agreed to meet with the Tok'ra._ "Thank you, Teal'c." Teal'c nodded in acknowledgment and left the stockade.

_It's just a meeting,_ Jolinar cautioned. _That's a long way from an alliance._

_It's a step closer than we were,_ Sam countered as she unzipped her coverall and stepped out of it.

_True._

Sam sighed as she released the clasp of her bra and let it drop away from her body. _Remind me never, ever to wear an under-wire bra on a mission ever again, no matter how quick and easy it's supposed to be._

_I'm... not going to be here to remind you, Sam._

_Oh. Right. Well, I expect you to come visit. You and your new host._

_Just try to keep me away._

Sam finished changing her clothes, folding her dirty clothes and setting them neatly at the foot of her bunk. Then they sat and tried to wait patiently.

  
  


  
  


"This, gentlemen and ladies, is the second time in less than a month that a prisoner under the control of Stargate Command- under our control- has been harmed." Jack glared at the assembled Security Force. "It will not happen a third time. Are we clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" the SFs chorused.

"Every single security procedure and protocol will be thoroughly and exhaustively reviewed by every single person in this room. You will have drills and exercises until you are thoroughly sick of them, and then you will have some more. Do you understand me?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"One more thing," Jack continued, "as should be clear by now, the SGC is not a standard assignment. Standard procedure that deals with standard threats is just not going to cut it. So start thinking up procedures for dealing with non-standard threats." He paused. "We've already had an interstellar assassin, mind control mist and being turned into cavemen, just in our first year of operation. I don't care how crazy or unlikely a threat may be; I want procedures in place to deal with it. So start your imaginations, airmen, and when you have something, write it up and send it to me. Dismissed!"

"Sir!" The senior airman saluted.

Jack returned the salute, officially dismissing the assembled SFs. "Sergeant Astley."

"Sir?"

"In 20 minutes, I want you to escort the prisoner to the gate room."

"Understood, sir," Astley responded, signaling for another SF to accompany her.

Jack headed for the locker room. "Afternoon, Teal'c," he greeted the other man as he entered and began changing in preparation for the upcoming mission.

"O'Neill," Teal'c acknowledged with his customary nod, closing his locker as he did so.

"Hey, Teal'c," Daniel said as he entered.

Teal'c nodded again, "Daniel Jackson," and left the locker room.

"Daniel."

"Jack."

Jack broke the silence. "We all agreed this was a good idea, Daniel."

"I know," Daniel sighed, "I know. It's just- It's starting to seem a little shabby, after this morning."

"Daniel, have you ever heard the term 'long con'?"

"Have you ever heard the term 'overly paranoid', Jack?"

"No such thing." Jack bent over to tie his boots. "I want Carter back too, Daniel. But this is something we can't afford to be wrong on."

"I'm just worried we're going to end up creating the very scenario we're trying to guard against."

Jack straightened. "Come on. We need to be in the gate room before Jelly-jar gets there."

Daniel closed his locker and followed Jack out. They rode the elevator down in silence, checked their weapons out of the armory and entered the gate room as Sergeant Harriman's voice intoned, "Chevron five, engaged" over the PA. Teal'c was already there, staff weapon in hand.

"I'm just not sure anymore that it's Jolinar's reaction we need to worry about."

Jack turned his head sharply to look at Daniel. "We already know what Carter is thinking."

"No, Jack, we don't," Daniel argued as the gate erupted before settling into the familiar placid pool of blue. "We know what we think she should be thinking, and how she should be reacting to all this- but she's not reacting that way, is she? Neither of them are."

"Rebel or not, Daniel, Jelly-jar is still a Goa'uld. Even if one of these Tok'ra might have helped out in kicking Ra off Earth like you think, I find it difficult believe it was purely out of the goodness of whatever passes for a snake's heart."

Whatever reply Daniel might have made was interrupted by Sam's entrance. She looked at the active Stargate, then to Jack. "Sir?"

"Sergeant, remove the handcuffs," Jack ordered. Astley complied, then she and the other guard departed the gateroom. "Jolinar, you're with us."

Sam stared at Jack for a long moment, then lowered her head. "As you wish, Colonel," Jolinar answered.

Jack pivoted on his heel and strode through the Gate, Teal'c following him moments later. Daniel hesitated, looking back at Jolinar. "Is there a problem, Dr. Jackson?" Hammond's voice came from the PA.

Daniel shook his head. "No. No problems." He turned and walked through the Gate. The guards in the gateroom and the technicians in the control room watched as Jolinar looked around, then walked up the ramp and stepped through the Gate.


	7. Chapter 7

The smell as she stepped from the Gate almost overwhelmed Jolinar, forcing her to clamp down on Sam's gag reflex even as she took in the bloated Jaffa corpses that seemed to surround her. The droning buzz of insects filled the air.

"Welcome to beautiful downtown Siwa."

Her eyes darted to where Jack and Teal'c stood with hard, unreadable expressions. Daniel stood beside them, a bandana pressed over his nose and mouth. "What?" Jolinar's head turned rapidly, taking in the blackened scars of staff cannon fire and the burnt-out hulk of what had once been a building of some sort. "What happened here?"

"That's what we'd like to know," Jack continued.

"I knew nothing of this, Colonel, I promise you."

"Really?" Jack challenged. "You just happened to know the address to a world you knew would interest us, and when we get here..." his voice trailed off as he gestured to the scene around them.

Jolinar's eyes flared. "She's telling you the truth, sir," Sam answered. "The Tok'ra only learned of Amaunet's presence here a short time ago. Jolinar was part of a group tasked with figuring out if there was any way the Tok'ra could use that knowledge to their advantage. That's why she knew the Gate coordinates."

"Looks like they managed to figure out something."

Sam lowered her head. "We concluded there was nothing to be done, Colonel." Jolinar answered. "Even with the loss of two of his ha'taks- and thank you for clearing that mystery up, by the way- the remainder of Apophis' fleet is still strong enough to deter any potential challengers to his position."

Daniel looked around. "Could one of the other System Lords have-"

Jolinar shook her head. "Much of the Queens' power comes from their rarity; a fact of which they are well aware. While it's not unheard of for a System Lord to have more than one Queen- Ra and Lord Yu come to mind- most System Lords who take a second Queen soon find one or the other dead under mysterious circumstances." She gave a wry smile. "That is, those who manage to retain their position in the hierarchy at all. More than one Queen has decided an ambitious Underlord would make a better consort than her current Lord, especially in such circumstances."

"The more I learn about the Goa'uld, the more charming they become," Jack muttered. "So who did this then?"

"Have you examined the bodies yet, Colonel?"

Jack grimaced. "I was hoping we could skip that part."

"This one is kresh'ta," Teal'c announced, indicating one of the corpses.

"Is that why his um-" Daniel waved vaguely at his own forehead, "why his tattoo has been defaced?"

"It is indeed, Daniel Jackson."

"Crest ah?" Jack asked.

"Kresh'ta," Daniel corrected. "Plural kresh'taa. It means exile. Or outcast."

"They are Jaffa who have been disgraced, or who, after their lord was defeated, were not accepted into the service of the victor." Teal'c paused. "They are perhaps similar to ronin, although in truth most kresh'taa become mercenaries. Or bandits."

Daniel smiled. "That was a movie, Teal'c. In reality most ronin who weren't able enter another lord's service also wound up becoming mercenaries and/or bandits."

Teal'c nodded in acknowledgment.

"Looks like this guy was batting for the home team," O'Neill said, having crouched down beside another corpse to examine it.

"This one has Apophis' mark as well," Sam added as she examined a third corpse.

The team examined the rest of the bodies and as much of the burned building as they could without risking injury by entering the partially collapsed structure. "So except for a handful of those crash test guys, it looks like all of these were Apophis' Jaffa," Jack concluded. "And I'm guessing the Goa'uld don't usually bother retrieving Jaffa corpses?"

"Indeed they do not, O'Neill."

"This is starting to look like an inside job." Jack looked at Sam. "So... any ambitious Underlords come to mind?"

Sam shook her head. "Jolinar can't think of any. Apophis would have kept Amaunet's whereabouts very well-hidden, especially from his Underlords. The only one likely to have known about it is Klorel, but he's too young to have built up much of a power base yet."

"There is one thing more," Teal'c broke in. "From my examination of the kresh'taa, I believe they all once bore the mark of Ra."

"Well isn't that a blast from the past?" Jack commented. He looked at his watch. "Oops, time's up, kids. Time to head on back. Daniel, dial us up."

"Sir? A question if I may?"

Something in Sam's tone made Daniel hesitate and turn back to face her. Jack subtly shifted his stance, his hand moving closer to the MP5 at his side. "Carter?"

"How many more of these... tests should we expect? Sir."

Daniel flinched. "It's not like that, Sam, it's-"

"Don't lie to me, Daniel."

"You're out of line, Captain."

"Am I, sir?" Sam shot back. "What did this-" Sam gestured, flinging out her arm, "any of this- prove, one way or the other? If you believe Jolinar's been telling the truth, then that little scene as we came through the Gate was pointless. If you still think she's a clever liar, then all it did was show how good she is at thinking on her feet."

"Captain Carter is correct," Teal'c said. "We have no way of verifying the truth or falsehood of Jolinar's statements; therefore any attempts to determine her veracity will be inconclusive."

"So what do you suggest, Carter? Either of you."

"The same thing we've been suggesting, sir. A meeting between Earth and the Tok'ra."

"You've been pushing that awfully hard."

"Because it's the right thing to do, sir." Sam drew in a deep breath. "People Jolinar loves are in danger- continue to be in danger- from the traitor she told us about, but she's been willing to risk this delay because of the advantages cooperation between Earth and the Tok'ra could bring to both of our peoples." Her chin came up defiantly. "As for me, I have no interest in becoming a lab rat for the NID. Sir."

"The NID says Samuels wasn't working for them," Jack responded mildly.

"Yes, sir."

"Dial the Gate," Jack ordered, his eyes never leaving Sam's face.

"But-"

"Now, Daniel."

  
  


  
  


"Be seated," Hammond ordered as he entered. "I apologize for the last-minute rescheduling; thank you all for staying. I know many of you have families you'd like to get home to; I'll try to make this as brief as possible." He took his seat at the head of the table and began. "As most if not all of you are aware, this world was recently threatened with enslavement at best; total destruction at worst. A threat that was only prevented this time by the actions of our own SG-1.

"Only. Prevented. This. Time," he repeated in a louder voice, easily overriding the congratulatory voices that had begun to gather force among the assembled SG team leaders and department heads. "The plain fact of the matter, ladies and gentlemen," he continued, leaning forward as the room fell silent once more, "is that we got lucky. Damn lucky. You know it, I know it, and the President and the Joint Chiefs know it.

"Therefore," Hammond paused, his eyes sweeping the room. "Therefore, the mandate of this command has been expanded to include exploration and evaluation of sites for potential off-world colonies." He leaned back, allowing his people to absorb the news.

"To that end," Hammond continued, easily overriding the rising buzz of voices as people started to react. "To that end, sometime within the next six months, talks will begin with the governments of certain of our NATO allies with an eye to bringing them aboard and," he gave a slight smile, "ensuring that future funding for this operation will not entirely be held hostage by the ambitions of a few politicians. Major Kovacek?"

Stan Kovacek lowered his hand. "Respectfully, sir, while on the one hand I agree the American taxpayers shouldn't be the only people footing the bill for the defense of the entire planet, if I'm helping to pay for something I'm going to want some say in how it's run."

Hammond nodded. "Which is why our initial overtures will be to those of our allies with a strong commitment to the rule of law and robust democratic traditions of their own." He paused, eyes sweeping the room once more. "Make no mistake people, there **will** be changes around here. I'm going to need your help- airmen, marines and civilians alike- to keep those changes within the best traditions- the best ideals- of the United States, of democracy, and of the rule of law, so that when those of our allies who have... less robust democratic traditions are made aware of the Stargate, the institutional traditions of this program will be strong enough to resist any... autocratic influences they may bring with them. Doctor Jackson?"

"Are we merely talking about an extension of the Alpha site concept- basically giving say... the British, French and Germans their own planets to set up their own military bases? Or are we talking about complete, viable colonies capable of supporting themselves should- should something happen to Earth."

"That is sort of the idea behind the Alpha site, Daniel," Jack said.

"How many farmers does the Alpha site have, Jack?" Daniel shot back. "How many butchers? Bakers? Candlestick makers?" He shook his head. "The Alpha site is a- a military base- a research facility- one we have to keep supplied on a constant basis. It's not a complete and functioning society by any means. It can't be. It doesn't... have... enough..." Daniel's head tilted to the side as his voice trailed off. He straightened in his chair and looked at Hammond. "General, the only way colonization can work is to draw from a large and varied pool of talent- a much larger one than the one we have now. If we want these colonies to succeed, we're going to have to open the Stargate program up to everyone."

"Are you insane?!" Colonel Makepeace blurted. "You tell people about the Goa'uld and they'll panic."

"The more people have some idea of what's going on in a situation, Colonel, the less likely they are to panic," Daniel stated.

"Maybe individually, Doctor, but the larger the crowd the more inherently stupid and mindlessly vicious it becomes," Makepeace argued. "And when you're talking the entire planet that's-"

"That was discussed, Doctor," Hammond interrupted, "and a decision has yet to be reached on whether or not to reveal the existence of this program to the general public." He paused, then continued. "Even if the decision to reveal the existence of the Stargate- and the Goa'uld- were reached tomorrow, the entirety of the situation would not immediately be made public knowledge. Rather, government-backed psychologists and social scientists would seek out ways to 'soften the blow'- to make the general public more receptive to the idea of alien life, and of traveling to alien planets; a process that may take a decade or more." Hammond paused again as he looked around the table. "Talk to your people, let them know what's going on and remind them that no matter what may happen in the future, for the time being knowledge of this program remains top secret, compartmentalized information." He shoved his chair back and stood, bringing the military contingent to their feet as well. "Thank you, everyone. Dismissed."

  
  


  
  


Robert Makepeace didn't turn his head as the other man sat down beside him. "The nice thing about this bar, Colonel, is that the patrons generally respect the fact that sometimes a man wants to do his drinking alone."

"Scotch. Neat," Harry Maybourne told the bartender. "Sometimes a man isn't as alone as he might think he is, Colonel, especially a man who might have concerns about the wisdom of a course his superiors seem determined to pursue." He nodded his thanks as the bartender set a glass on the bar in front of him.

Makepeace did turn his head at that. "I don't know about you, Maybourne, but part of wearing the uniform includes carrying out the orders of my superiors to the best of my ability- no matter what my personal feelings may be."

"Oh, I'm not arguing with you, Colonel." Maybourne took a sip of his scotch. "But despite the stereotypes, the uniforms we wear don't mean blind obedience to obviously misguided orders. Even for Marines." He took another sip from his scotch and placed it back on the bar before pulling a business card from his pocket and laying it on the bar between them. He took another drink of his scotch before standing and placing some money on the bar. "Have a nice evening, Colonel."

Robert Makepeace finished both the bourbon he had been drinking and a second one before he picked the business card up off the bar and placed it in his pocket.

  
  


  
  


Sam stood as the door to the stockade opened. "Good morning, sir."

"Morning, Carter," Jack answered as he entered. He came to a stop directly in front of Sam's cell. "You've made your point. After lunch, SG-1's headed for Tok'ra-town."


	8. Chapter 8

While the desert landscape was a refreshing change from the usual trees and grass that seemed to surround the Stargate on almost every planet they'd been to, the apparent maze of canyons this planet's Stargate had been placed in reminded Jack of nothing so much as the ambush scene in every Western he'd ever watched.

"O'Neill."

"I see them, Teal'c" Jack responded, equally softly. "And don't start looking around, Daniel," he added as the archeologist began to do just that.

Ahead of them, Jolinar halted and called out "Tok'ra, kree! Mekta satak Jolinar n'Malkshur!"

"Umm, basically she just said she's Jolinar of Malkshur," Daniel answered in response to Jack's questioning look.

A hidden voice called out, "Onak sha kree, shel Goa'uld?"

"What god do you worship?" Daniel translated.

"Go'ach sha kree, lo Goa'uld!" Jolinar responded.

Teal'c's eyebrow rose. Daniel blinked. Jack tilted his head. "Daniel?"

"Ahh... 'The gods can go screw themselves'. Basically."

"Sweet. How'd that go again?"

"I am not certain-"

"I was going more for the general sense of it, Teal'c, rather than strict accuracy."

"And your companions?" the voice called.

"My temporary host, Captain-Doctor Samantha Carter of the Tau'ri," Jolinar responded. Jack and Teal'c both turned to look at Daniel, who shrugged. "Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson, also of the Tau'ri. And Teal'c of Chulak."

"The so-called shol'va?"

Teal'c's eyebrow rose once more.

"He has rejected the teachings of Apophis, and knows the Goa'uld for what they truly are."

"Impossible." A man seemed to step from the canyon wall, holding a zat'nik'tel casually in a way that was almost but not quite aimed at them. "Jaffa loyalty to their gods is as complete as it is brainless."

"Then it is indeed fortunate that I possess that particular organ," Teal'c returned equitably, "and know the Goa'uld for parasites that use stolen technology to falsely claim the mantle of divinity."

Jolinar rolled her eyes. "If you're going to be an ass, Malek, then let us talk to Hanno."

"You certainly have Jolinar's charm."

"Malek, Chief of Security for this base and his host, Hanno," Jolinar said by way of introduction.

Daniel stepped forward. "Umm, hi. We're-" The unmistakable sound of an activating Stargate echoed through the canyons, cutting Daniel off in mid-speech.

Malek stepped back, his zat'nik'tel now firmly aimed at SG-1. He pulled a communicator from his belt with his free hand and raised it to his mouth. "Martouf, kree!" he barked. "Report." He waited and, apparently hearing no response, spoke into the communicator again. "Cordesh. Rep-"

"Malek, kree!" Jolinar interrupted. "Cordesh's is the name I was sent to retrieve." She whirled, only to be halted by a shot from Malek's zat'nik'tel hitting the ground in front of her feet. She turned back, glaring. "Damn it, Malek-"

"Whether you're Jolinar or not, charging in there isn't going to help anything." Malek's thumb moved slightly on the communicator, apparently changing channels. "Ocker. Take two others and investigate. Report back on this channel. Be warned, Cordesh may not be who he appears to be." He hesitated, then added. "Stun on sight, no warnings."

"Carter?"

Jolinar lowered her head. "Jolinar is... close to Martouf," Sam answered. "She's... a bit worried."

"Cordesh is then the traitor that Jolinar spoke of?" Teal'c asked.

"Jolinar, kree!"

"Do you mind?" Jack snapped. "I was talking to Carter."

"Everybody," Sam said through gritted teeth. "Calm. Down. Please."

Jack broke the silence. "Whether or not you're Jolinar?"

"Jolinar left in one host and is coming back in another, sir, with no witnesses to the change. We're going to have to be tested to verify her identity. They'll compare her code of life- ah, DNA- with the sample on file." Sam grimaced. "Big honkin' needle, sir."

"Have- Are the two of you blended?" Malek broke in.

"It's a long story," Sam answered, "but yes, we've been blended." She held up a hand. "As I said, it's a long story and we'd rather tell it to the Council first."

Malek nodded. "Understood." He paused, then added. "Martouf has been found, unconscious. They're taking him to the healers now. There's no sign of Cordesh." He spoke into his communicator again. "Willem, Quanish and..." Malek eyed Teal'c, "Jhebem, to me." Moments later, they heard the sound of transport rings activating. Three more Tok'ra stepped from the fold in the rock that had concealed Malek, one of them almost rivaling Teal'c in size. "Forgive me," Malek continued, "but I'm going to have to ask that you surrender your weapons."

"And we're going to have to regretfully decline," Jack answered.

"Sir, this is standard procedure."

"Sam's right, Jack," Daniel put in. "We'd do the same thing if they showed up at the SGC."

"I concur with Daniel Jackson's analysis, O'Neill."

"All right," Jack said. "But we're only doing this in the spirit of future relations. Understood?"

"Understood," Malek acknowledged as the other Tok'ra accepted SG-1's weapons. He gestured courteously to Sam. "After you."

"Teal'c, stick with Daniel," Jack ordered as he followed Sam around the corner and into a short, dead-end canyon. Malek and one of the other Tok'ra followed. Jack looked around. "Ah-"

"Sir?" Sam's outstretched hand traced a circle with her in the center.

Jack nodded in acknowledgment and moved to stand beside her. Malek and the other guard joined them. Jack looked around again. "So how do we-" The rings sprang up, encircling them, and then fell back down again, revealing a crystalline tunnel and dark-haired Tok'ra standing behind a control console. "-work this th- ah, never mind."

They stepped out of the alcove, then the technician activated the rings again, bringing Daniel, Teal'c and their guards down as well.

"The Crystal Tunnels of the Tok'ra," Teal'c stated. "I had thought them merely a tale-teller's embellishment, meant to excuse repeated failures to discover even abandoned Tok'ra facilities." He hesitated, then added, "Including my own."

"They're quite real, Teal'c," Sam answered. "When the Tok'ra leave, they'll collapse these tunnels, leaving no trace."

Teal'c nodded.

"So how deep are we?" Jack asked.

"Deep enough, Colonel O'Neill," Malek said, forestalling any answer Sam might have given. He indicated a second tunnel that branched off from the main a few steps away from where they stood. "The Healing Chambers are this way."

"The Tok'ra have had tunneling crystals for a long time, sir," Sam added over her shoulder as she began heading for the Healing Chambers. "There hasn't been an unplanned collapse in centuries."

"So basically we're due," Jack said as he caught up with Sam.

"That's not how probability works, sir," she responded absently.

"We are fine," the voice of a male-hosted symbiote drifted down the corridor. "It was just a little bump." Sam's pace down the corridor increased.

"Remind me again, when did you receive your Healer's training?" a second male voice, this one a host's, shot back.

Jolinar burst into the Healing Chambers and halted. A wordless keening rose from her throat.

From behind her, Jack could see three people staring wide-eyed at Jolinar- two men, respectively sitting on and standing by a raised slab of crystal, evidently the complaining patient and his exasperated healer, and a woman standing beside them. "Jolinar?" the patient asked, his voice trembling.

Jolinar nodded. "My- my host- my temporary host, Sam."

"R- Rosha?" the healer asked.

Jolinar shook her head. "I couldn't- couldn't save her." She choked back a sob. "She's safe, though. I was at least able to do that much."

"Will-" the woman cleared her throat, "will your host permit..." She spread her arms.

Jolinar lowered her head. "Yes," Sam answered raggedly. "God, yes." Sam lowered her head, and Jolinar crossed the chamber into the woman's embrace, the two men embracing her as well. Her body shook with the force of her sobs, and Jack could see the same grief echoed on the faces of her companions. He looked back at Daniel and Teal'c, who had just entered the chamber and were staring at the scene in front of them.

"They are Jolinar's- and were Rosha's- mates," Malek explained quietly.

Jack's head snapped around to stare at Malek. "Mates? As in... mates?" Malek nodded. Jack turned back. "Which one of-"

"All of them."

Jack's headed snapped back around. "All of them? Did you just say all of them?"

Daniel blinked and adjusted his glasses. "When she- I thought- she said partners, but- I mean, I assumed- we all assumed, I guess- I mean I assume we all assumed-"

"Jolinar grieves," Teal'c said slowly, "for the loss of her host."

"Of course," Malek answered.

"No Goa'uld would do such a thing."

"We are not Goa'uld."

Teal'c nodded gravely. "O'Neill," he intoned. "Daniel Jackson. We are intruding in a moment that should be private." He turned so his back was to the grieving group across the chamber.

"Huh? Oh. Oh, right." Daniel turned around, as did Jack.

"So..." Jack rocked back on his heels. "Crystals, huh?" He peered at the wall in front of him. "How's that work again?"

"Quite well," Hanno answered blandly. "Neither Malek nor I are engineers, Colonel," he responded to the irritated look Jack sent his way. "We have no idea how they work, just that they do." He paused. "Am I correct in my assumption that Colonel is your title, and O'Neill your name, or do I have that reversed?"

"Nah, you're right," Jack answered. "Wait- Malek and- You're the host?"

Hanno nodded. "We thought you might find it more comfortable to speak with me, at least at first."

"Is that- pardon me," Daniel broke in, "but is that... normal? To have the host speak? I mean, isn't Malek the one umm, in charge?"

"It depends, Doctor," Hanno answered. "Obviously, in anything having to do with his duties as Security Chief, Malek is- as you say- the one in charge. Generally though, we tend to divide control fairly evenly. Other pairs may choose differently; in one pair the host may handle most day-to-day social interactions, in another the symbiote will. It all depends on their personalities."

"Huh," Jack acknowledged. He glanced over his shoulder. "So what was that whole 'I couldn't save her/She's safe' bit about?"

Hanno hesitated. "Are you familiar with what a sarcophagus can do?"

"You mean the whole heal any injury and even bring people back from the dead thing?" Jack responded. "Yeah, we've seen it a time or two." He tilted his head. "Would the bringing back from the dead thing," he continued slowly, "include a former host? With all the memories of..." Jack waved vaguely at the back of his neck.

Hanno nodded. "Fortunately it does have some limitations. One is time, the other is the fact that, as I understand it, everyone's brain is different on the cellular level."

Daniel nodded. "Brain plasticity. Of course."

"You're saying our brains are made out of plastic?" Jack asked skeptically.

"Not made out of plastic, are plastic," Daniel corrected. "Flexible, adaptable. Especially children's brains. As they grow and learn, their brains are making- forming connections- thousands, millions of connections between neurons and- and things and because everyone's experiences are different, those connections are going to be different so-" Daniel hesitated, his eyes widening. "So if you can do enough damage to the brain..."

Hanno nodded. "The sarcophagus can't revive them, no matter how little time has passed."

"A thin-bladed knife and a vigorous stirring motion, repeated several times at different points where the skull is thinnest, will do the trick quite nicely," Sam said hoarsely.

"God, Sam-"

"These are Jolinar's mates," Sam continued, gesturing back to the trio she had stepped away from. "Martouf and his symbiote Lantash," she indicated the patient, "Aldwin and Gerim," the healer this time, "Freya and Anise," the woman, "Colonel O'Neill, Doctor Jackson and Teal'c," Sam finished.

Martouf nodded. "Thank you for bringing Jolinar back to us."

"You did get the whole temporary host thing, right?" Jack asked. "Cause Carter here didn't exactly volunteer for a permanent gig. Or at all, really."

"I... I'm afraid we do not understand, Colonel O'Neill."

"Oh, you know, the whole-"

"Sir, please," Sam broke in. "Yes, they know I'm a temporary host. The rest of it-" she took a deep breath, "We need to talk to the Council first."

"First, Selmak will take a biopsy and confirm your identity. Then you will speak to the Council."

Jack and the others turned to see a tall, dark-haired woman standing in the corridor, glaring impartially at their entire group. A shorter, grandmotherly woman stood beside and a little behind her.

"Master Garshaw," Malek said. "May I present Captain-Doctor Samantha Carter of the Tau'ri? Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson, also of the Tau'ri, and the shol'va Teal'c of Chulak. Garshaw of Belote and her host, Yosuuf," he continued, indicating the dark-haired woman. "Supreme High Councilor of the Tok'ra and Commander of this base." He indicated the grandmotherly woman. "Selmak and her host Saroosh, Supreme High Councilor Emeritus."

Jack nodded. "Ma'am."

Teal'c's eyebrow rose. "You are Garshaw of Belote?"

"I am."

"You are said to be the most hunted Goa'uld of all time."

Garshaw stiffened. "In the future, please do not refer to us as Goa'uld. We are Tok'ra." Teal'c nodded in acknowledgment. Garshaw turned to face Jack. "You are a leader among the Tau'ri?"

"I am the leader of the Tau'ri here now," Jack answered.

"Master Garshaw," Sam broke in. "I wish to request that both my team and Jolinar's mates be present when we give testimony before the Council."

Garshaw nodded. "Due to the apparent perfidy of Cordesh, or whoever was posing as Cordesh, we will be evacuating this base," she announced. "Perform whatever duties you need to and be at the Council Chamber in one hour."

Martouf, Aldwin and Freya all nodded in acknowledgment, glancing at Sam as they did so. "We'll be fine, guys," Sam assured them. The looks on their faces suggested they were not particularly re-assured, but Martouf and Freya departed, while Aldwin went into an inner room of the Healing Chambers.

"Malek and his team will show you to quarters where you may wait and freshen up before the Council meeting begins, Colonel O'Neill."

"Actually I think we'd prefer to just stay here," Jack answered. "If you don't mind."

Garshaw hesitated, then declared. "Very well, Colonel O'Neill. You may stay. Now if you will pardon me..." With that Garshaw turned on her heel and stalked away, revealing the cane that Selmak had been leaning on.

Jolinar's eyes widened. "Selmak. What-"

Selmak waved away her concern. "It's nothing," she said as she walked slowly into the Healing Chambers. "Certain junior Healers," she continued, raising her voice to carry into the next room, "are inclined to worry overmuch about one minor incident."

"With all respect to you as the senior Healer," Aldwin countered as he emerged from the back room, a tray of instruments in his hands, "but collapsing during a Council meeting is a bit more than a minor incident."

"What!" Jolinar screeched. "Why are you letting her- Selmak- Saroosh- you shouldn't be- you should sit, or- or-"

"Jolinar, kree!" Selmak snapped, cutting off the flow of babble from Jolinar. She lowered her head. "We are fine, child," Saroosh reassured Jolinar. "Aldwin is merely being conscientious. Truth be told," she continued, lowering her voice and leaning forward conspiratorially, "what actually happened is that we were almost bored to death." She patted the crystal slab next to the tray Aldwin had set down before retiring to the inner room once more. "Now up, and remove your upper garment please." Saroosh looked around the room. "While you may remain in this chamber, gentlemen,-"

Jack held up a hand. "Turning around now, ma'am." He noted their Tok'ra guards turning as well.

"Thank you," Selmak acknowledged. The men heard little as Selmak worked: softly murmured words between the women, the slight clink of instruments being replaced on the tray and twice, a sharp indrawn hiss followed by a shuddering release of breath. "We have finished," Selmak announced.

Jack and the others turned back around. "You good, Carter?"

"Just fine, sir."

"Umm, Selmak..."

"Yes, Doctor Jackson?"

"Forgive me if this is umm, impertinent, but in our experience the Go- ah, symbiotes usually seem to prefer... younger hosts."

Selmak lowered her head. "Two and a half centuries ago, I was a young host," Saroosh answered. "But that was, after all, two and a half centuries ago."

Daniel shook his head. "I don't understand. I thought the sarcophagus kept the host from-"

"You didn't tell them?" Saroosh interrupted.

Sam grimaced. "It didn't exactly come up."

"Tell us what, Carter?"

"The Tok'ra don't use the sarcophagus, sir. They believe it damages and eventually destroys the kalach- the soul." Sam paused. "Apparently repeated use does cause some... unpleasant personality changes, as well as fostering a dependence similar to- to a drug addict's." Sam shook her head. "It's probably not the sole cause of the Goa'uld being... like they are, but I would be surprised if it wasn't a contributing factor."

"The Joint Chiefs are going to love that little tidbit."

"Yes, sir." She glanced over at Saroosh. "It varies depending on a number of factors, but having a symbiote can triple or even almost quadruple a host's expected lifespan."

Saroosh smiled sadly. "Selmak and I have had a good life together- shared love and laughter, supported each other through pain and sorrow- I have seen things the girl I was could never even have dreamed of. And things she would never have wanted to see, even in her worst nightmares. But all of that is over, and all that is left is to find my Selmak a good home." She looked at Jack and Daniel. "Selmak has had male hosts in the past-"

"Yeah, I'll think I'll pass," Jack said hurriedly.

"That's umm, that's maybe more of a longer-term commitment than I'm looking for right now," Daniel added. "But thank you."

Teal'c for his part raised an eyebrow.

Saroosh shrugged. "I thought merely to ask." She picked up her cane from where she had placed it on the crystal slab. "Aldwin and Selmak will get the analysis started and we will see you in the Council chambers while it's running."

Aldwin, who had come back into the room while Daniel was speaking to Selmak, gave Jolinar an encouraging smile as he picked up the tray. He nodded politely to the others and followed Selmak into the inner rooms of the Healing Chambers.

"I take it they're going to be running some sort of computer analysis on- on-" Jack waved a hand vaguely in the air.

Sam nodded. "Jolinar's biopsy, yes, sir." She smiled slightly. "Comparing DNA is a little bit more complicated than how they show it on TV."

Jack nodded. "So... what's the story with this Council-thingy?"

"The Council- the Base Council-" Sam began, "consists of five individuals: the Base Commander, the Delegate to the High Council, the Security Chief- in this case Malek-" Malek inclined his head slightly at the mention of his name, "and two- or in this case three, since Garshaw is both Base Commander and High Council Delegate- representatives selected from and by the permanent population of the base.

"The Council is responsible for the day-to-day running of the base," Sam continued. "They also coordinate with the other bases, through the High Council, in the war against the Goa'uld. And finally," Sam drew in a deep breath, "they sit in judgment when needed."

"Which is what this is going to be," Daniel concluded. "Basically a trial of Jolinar's actions."

Sam nodded.

Malek shifted, breaking the silence. "There are refreshment facilities on the way to the Council Chambers, if you'd care to make use of them."

"Aand that's our cue. Lead on, MacDuff."

"My name is Malek, Colonel. Not MacDuff."

Sam shook her head and gave a slight smile as she began heading for the Council Chambers.

 


	9. Chapter 9

"There are several ways that a skilled user of the hara-kesh can not only kill, but cause their victim to suffer as they die," Selmak said, testifying before the Council in her position as Senior Healer. Aldwin sat beside her. "One way- and this is only used if the victim does not have access to a sarcophagus- is to essentially fuse host and symbiote together so that the symbiote can't separate- and then kill the host, leaving the symbiote trapped, and slowly dying of necrotic poisoning." Selmak paused. "It is the most common method of execution used by the ashrakim against Tok'ra."

"And you believe this is what happened with Captain Carter and Jolinar?" Malek asked.

Selmak nodded. "Aldwin and I found signs consistent with this fusing method present during our examination of Samantha Carter." She hesitated. "It is our belief that Captain Carter and Jolinar only survived due to the fact that they were joined, but not blended at the time."

Another of the Council members, She'nol, leaned forward in her seat. "Could you explain this further? As it would seem to me that as a joined but unblended pair, Jolinar would have only been able to perform the most rudimentary healing of Captain Carter."

"It may be helpful to consider these states as different levels, as in the steps of a staircase," Selmak explained. "Joined but unblended, blended and fused," she continued, using her hands to illustrate as she spoke. "Our assumption is that the ashrak did whatever would normally have been sufficient to fuse a blended Tok'ra pair, not realizing that in this case he needed to double the force of the hara-kesh, in order to, basically, go up two stairs instead of just one."

She'nol leaned back. "And that then allowed Jolinar to be able to heal Captain Carter," she concluded. "Thank you for clear-"

Selmak shook her head. "From what Captain Carter has told me, her heart had stopped functioning, and both she and Jolinar were deeply unconscious, perhaps even comatose. Jolinar confirms that she had no awareness between the time she succumbed to the hara-kesh and the time she awoke several days later."

"Then how-"

"They are alive solely due to the efforts of the Tau'ri healers," Selmak answered.

"Even though they believed Jolinar to be a Goa'uld?" She'nol asked.

Aldwin leaned forward. "Had the Goa'uld not come to my world," he said, "and I had successfully completed my apprenticeship, I would have sworn an oath to treat all who came before me without bias or favor, regardless of class or station. The healers of the Tau'ri swear a similar oath."

She'nol looked over at Sam. "Is Aldwin correct in this, Captain Carter?"

"Yes, Councilor," Sam answered. "I don't know the exact wording of the oath our healers take, but the general principles are the same."

"Huh." She'nol leaned back in her chair. "Thank you very much, Captain Carter," she said absently. She looked over at the other Tau'ri, one hand rubbing her jaw in a seemingly unconscious gesture. "Huh," she repeated.

Malek asked, "How will this affect the removal of Jolinar from Captain Carter?"

Selmak and Aldwin exchanged glances, then Selmak answered, "This will be an extraordinarily delicate operation, even more so than usual. Enough that I, with my current physical limitations, should not be the one to perform the surgery."

"Beyond... other considerations," Aldwin added, "I lack the necessary surgical experience."

"I presume you have an alternative proposal?" Malek said.

"Yes," Selmak nodded. "Ta'seem is perhaps the best surgical healer the Tok'ra have at this time." Selmak hesitated, looking at Garshaw as she spoke. "He's at Revanna."

Garshaw raised her eyebrows at the expectant hush that had fallen over the Council Chamber. "I will contact them," she said mildly. "Are there any other questions for these witnesses?" she added over the almost audible sigh of relief that swept the chamber. "Thank you, Selmak and Aldwin." The two Tok'ra nodded and returned to their seats, Aldwin rejoining his mates and Selmak returning to her position as a Council member. "Having heard testimony from all concerned parties, the councilors will retire to consider this matter in private discussion. Thank you for your time; you will be notified when a decision has been reached." Garshaw picked up the crystal that served as a gavel. "If there are no objections?" She looked to the other Council members, who remained silent. "This Council is now in private session," Garshaw declared, punctuating her words with a sharp rap of the crystal. "All persons who are not members of this Council are requested to depart this chamber."

Jack, Daniel and Teal'c stopped short as they exited the Council Chamber. What had been a long corridor with many intersecting cross-corridors now showed smooth crystal walls along most of its length, except for a remaining pair of intersecting corridors. As they watched, the corridor closest to them was swiftly collapsed as well, with only a low rumble and some slight tremors to mark the shifting of tons of dirt and rock. Smooth crystal quickly spread over the spot where the opening had been, merging the wall into a seamless whole. The three Tok'ra who had been monitoring the collapse checked their instruments, held a brief consultation and left with barely a glance toward the Council Chamber- and the people standing outside of it. "They managed to do all this while we were... in there?" Daniel said, gesturing back toward the Council Chamber.

"We have become skilled at moving our homes swiftly and efficiently, Doctor Jackson," Quanish answered, a note of what might have been pride, regret or some mixture of the two in his voice.

Jack turned slightly to look back at their escorts. "Guess you'd have to, wouldn't you?" he said as they moved to the side of the corridor, allowing the other spectators to pass. "Wanna explain what just happened, Carter?" he said as Sam emerged from the Council Chamber. "Like why everyone started acting like they were in an eggshell minefield all of a sudden?"

Sam hesitated. "Politics, sir," she said finally.

"Politics?"

Sam sighed. "Re'nal and Delek, the Base Commander and High Council Delegate for Revanna, are also the leaders of a powerful faction that... opposes some of the policies Garshaw has instituted since she became Supreme High Councilor," she explained. "Garshaw... Garshaw has a bit of a temper, and there have been some incidents lately that haven't exactly worked to help cool her off." Sam grimaced. "Including all of this."

"Is this going to be an issue with getting this tase 'em guy to pop Jolinar out of you?"

Sam shook her head. "Ta'seem," she corrected. "Not directly, no. They can't refuse to help in this situation, but..."

"But they can make things easy, or they can make things difficult," Jack concluded.

"Yes, sir."

"Maybe if I spoke with-"

"It wouldn't help, Daniel," Sam interrupted, looking over to where Martouf, Aldwin and Freya were standing some distance away. "Excuse us, we need to speak with our- with Jolinar's mates." Sam moved over to the other group, not noticing the worried glances exchanged by the three men behind her.

"Captain Carter," Martouf greeted her. Aldwin and Freya voiced greetings as well.

"Um, hi." Sam smiled nervously. "Sam's fine. Really. To call me, I mean. Captain Carter's, well, kind of formal and considering we're umm, you know, at least technically we're-"

"Are you mated with Doctor Jackson?" Anise asked abruptly.

Sam's jaw dropped. "Wh- Wh- What? No!" She shook her head. "No. Daniel's already married- mated, and was when I met him."

"I merely ask because he is the only one of your companions to call you Sam, as you have instructed us to do," Anise explained. "Colonel O'Neill refers to you as Carter and the Jaffa-"

"Teal'c," Sam corrected. "His name is Teal'c."

Anise nodded in apology. "Teal'c calls you Captain Carter."

"Dr. Jackson did refer to Colonel O'Neill as Jack several times during his testimony," Aldwin pointed out. "Selmak had to ask him to clarify who that was, as he had only been introduced as Colonel O'Neill at that point."

"He could have been mated with both of them," Anise argued.

Sam choked. "Oh my- no. No. The Colonel and Daniel are not mated- not in any way, shape or form. No. Just- No. Nobody on the team is mated with anyone else on the team." Sam ran a hand through her hair. "Sam- Samantha- is my personal name- my given name- while Carter is my family name," she explained. "The Colonel uses it because he is my superior officer and-" Sam shook her head. "It's complicated. Daniel's probably the better one to explain the intricacies of Tau'ri naming etiquette, but my point is we're just friends. And co-workers."

Anise nodded. "Thank you, Sam. My apologies for misunderstanding."

"Really, our only interaction with Sam's companions has been in the context of a Council meeting," Aldwin added, "which is hardly the best-"

Anise glared at him. "I formed a hypothesis, tested it and found it to be in error," she sniffed. "You needn't go on about it."

Lantash rolled his eyes. "If you two are quite finished?" He turned to Sam. "Capt- Sam," he corrected himself, "what happened to you- what Jolinar did to you-"

"Stop," Sam commanded. "If you're about to apologize, just- stop. Jolinar already has, and I've accepted." Sam took a deep breath. "Jolinar made a mistake. She never planned to take an unwilling host, and when she found she had she was alone, and frightened, and she let her fear convince her that the information she had was just too important- that if she just kept running, kept hiding, she'd make it home and everything would be all right."

"That's still no excuse," Lantash responded.

Sam hesitated, then lowered her head. "I know," Jolinar said softly.

Aldwin lowered his head. "W-we trusted you," Gerim said, his habitual mild stutter increased by the strength of his emotions. "Th-that you w-were no longer... wh-what you were."

Jolinar drew in a ragged breath. "I know," she choked. "I know." She swiped at the tears that had overflowed her eyes, trying to wipe them away with the heal of her hand. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry." She lowered her head.

"What you have," Sam said, "the bonds between you, are..." she shook her head. "Frankly, I'm envious. I'm not- I don't-" Sam took a deep breath. "I'm not saying what she did- taking me as a host against my will- was right. In any way. But it was a mistake. Not a deliberate crime."

Lantash shook his head. "We understand that," he said quietly. "It's what happened afterward- her attempting to conceal her crime. That's what hurts."

"Forgive me." They turned to see Malek standing before them. "The Council has decided on its verdict. And your punishment."

Sam gave a tremulous smile. "I guess that's our cue." She turned and walked back into the Council Chamber, the others following behind her.

Garshaw waited until everyone had taken their seats before asking, "Jolinar of Malkshur, are you prepared to hear the judgment of this Council?"

Jolinar stood. "I am."

"Taking an unwilling host is among the worst crimes a Tok'ra can commit," Garshaw continued, "one deserving of the most severe punishment, up to and including removal and execution of the offending symbiote." Garshaw paused. "While it is clear from the testimony given here today that this was not a deliberate offense on your part, but rather the result of mistaken assumptions and lack of communication in a highly charged and volatile environment, the fact remains that you neither asked for nor received free and explicit consent from Samantha Carter of the Tau'ri to act as your host, in either a temporary or permanent capacity. Furthermore, you compounded your error by attempting to remain concealed from Samantha Carter's fellow Tau'ri; a deliberate act upon your part, and a knowing violation of the principles of openness and integrity that are meant to guide all Tok'ra. Therefore, it is the judgment of this Council that you be removed from said Samantha Carter of the Tau'ri and placed in a support tank for a period of no less than seven years. At the end of that time, if a willing host may be found, you will be released and allowed to blend with said willing host. Do you accept this verdict, or do you wish to appeal to the High Council?"

_Hell yes we wish to appeal! Seven years is ridiculous!_

_I'm not going to appeal._

_Seven years is freaking ridiculous,_ Sam shot back. _A year- two, maybe- that would be fair. Seven years of basically solitary confinement- blinded- deafened- And for what? A screw-up? How is that-_

_A screw-up that almost killed you._

_The ashrak almost killed me. Almost killed both of us. Not you._

_You would never have been in danger if not for me._

_Oh for-_ Sam paused. _There's more to this, isn't there?_

_Sam, don't-_

_This is as much political as it is anything, isn't it? Garshaw- and the rest of the Council with her- have to be seen coming down hard on something like this. On you especially._

_If you've figured that out, then you'll know why I don't want to risk an appeal to the High Council._

_The True-born._

_Yes._

_The hell with them. You're just as much Tok'ra- hell, you're a better Tok'ra than their smarmy, stuck-up, bigoted asses. You know what- change of plans. I'm staying your host._

_You can't. You said it yourself- your people will never truly trust the Tok'ra unless we can prove to them that the Tok'ra are not the same as the Goa'uld. And the only way to do that is for us to separate._

_Damn it-_

_I'll be fine. The last few decades have been pretty busy- I could use the rest._

_Jolinar-_

_I'll still have my own senses, and I'll still be able to communicate after a fashion._

_Stop trying to make me feel better._

_I wish you could stay my host, but if we do that-_

_-it'll make any chance at a Tau'ri-Tok'ra alliance that much more unlikely,_ Sam concluded. _All right, damn it, I guess we're sticking with the original plan._

_It really is for the best. You'll see._

"Jolinar?" Garshaw repeated.

"I accept the Council's verdict," Jolinar answered, "and have no wish to appeal."

"Very well," Garshaw declared. "A small satellite base will be set up on the planet Yahnes for the purpose of providing a safe place to perform the extraction of Jolinar from Captain Carter, separate from the new location of this base."

"How much you wanna bet none of us are setting one foot on that new base?" Jack said quietly to Teal'c. "Or even getting told where it is?"

"If there is no further business before this Council," Garshaw picked up the gavel, "I hereby declare this Council adjourned," and brought it down with a decisive rap.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Events moved quickly after that, and SG-1, after reporting back to the SGC and getting Hammond's approval, were soon gating to Yahnes.

They emerged in a large underground room and walked down a ramp that had been carved from the rock of the floor- or rather that part of the floor that was not ramp had been carved away and formed into a level surface. The room was bare except for the Stargate and a large pile of boxes off to one side, but several sets of small, evenly spaced holes in the rock walls and long, parallel scratches on the floor suggested that other equipment had been installed here at one time and later removed. A line of firing slits circled the room just above the mounting holes and a level above that a structure jutted out from the wall directly opposite the Stargate. Like the ramp, the rest of the room had been carved away from it and SG-1 could glimpse several people moving about inside through the large openings in the front of the structure.

Jack looked around. "Ahh, DHD, anyone?"

Sam pointed upward. "Control room, sir."

Jack nodded in acknowledgment as they reached the bottom of the ramp and turned 90 degrees toward the room's only door.

Daniel slowed, tilting his head as he examined the door. "Kind of low for how wide it is," he commented. "In fact," he halted and spun in a slow circle, "all the proportions are off."

"Our scientists believe the species that built this base were shorter and wider than humans, Dr. Jackson," Martouf said as he and Anise walked down the ramp.

Sam turned with a smile on her face. "You came."

Anise raised her eyebrows. "It would hardly have been fair of us to put the entire burden of dealing with Jolinar on you and the rest of the Tau'ri."

Sam's smile widened. "She says good to see you, too." Sam paused. "Or words to that effect."

"Hmph."

Martouf rolled his eyes as he and Anise joined SG-1 at the base of the ramp. "Unfortunately that's all we know of them," he continued. "We've found no other structures beyond this base, and no currently known intelligent species fits these proportions. We assume they were wiped out by the Goa'uld."

Jack gestured at the room around them. "Still, this looks like a pretty decent defensive setup. Any reason you guys aren't using it?"

"Yahnes' sun has entered its expansion stage," Anise answered. "The planet is tidally locked and whatever oceans it had have long since boiled away. There's no atmosphere left either, of course, so I would recommend staying in the sealed portion of the base," she added.

"Carter?"

"The planet's rotation- its day- is exactly equal to its year- the time it takes to go around this system's sun," Sam explained. "It's the same reason we only ever see one side of the Moon, even though it's orbiting Earth."

"Actually, I was more worried about the whole 'expanding sun' bit," Jack responded.

"It doesn't happen that fast, sir." Sam looked over at Anise. "I presume we're far enough underground?"

"We are on the far side of the planet from this system's sun," Anise answered. "Nevertheless we are monitoring radiation levels. I will be recalibrating the sensor alarms to account for the presence of unblended humans."

"Thank you," Sam responded. Anise nodded politely and left, ducking slightly as she went through door, even though the lintel was higher than her head.

"May I show you your quarters?" Martouf asked. SG-1 followed Anise through the door, each ducking in turn as they went through, although only Teal'c actually needed to. The odd proportions made the door appear lower than it actually was, and there was room enough for even Teal'c to stand comfortably in the corridors beyond.

"Just think, Carter," Jack said as they walked, "another couple days and you'll be joining Kendra in the ex-host's club."

"Ken-?" Sam's eyes widened. "Oh, f- Freya!" She whirled and walked rapidly back the way they had come. "Freya!"

The four men looked at each other. "I take it this is not normal behavior?" Martouf asked.

"Umm, no. Not exactly," Daniel answered.

"Carter!"

Freya emerged from one of the cross-corridors. "What? What is it?"

"A minute, sir," Sam called back. "Cimmeria- I can't believe I forgot- Thor's Hammer on Cimmeria is no longer working."

Freya's eyes grew wide. "What happened?" she demanded.

Jack stormed down the corridor. "Captain Carter, just what-"

"It's all right, sir," Sam interrupted. "Freya's one of the Hverrtalamitlar."

  
  


  
  


"Fir- what?" Hammond asked.

"Hverrtalamitlr," Daniel repeated. "It's Old Norse; literally it means 'who speaks between'. The group is the Hverrtalamitlar."

Jack pulled the radio from Daniel's hand. "Apparently General, there's a group of five Tok'ra from-"

"Tok'ra hosts, sir."

"Tok'ra hosts," Jack corrected, "from Asgard-protected planets like Cimmeria who act as go-betweens ah- between the Tok'ra and the Asgard."

"I'm surprised the Goa'uld would allow something like that to go on," Hammond said.

"The System Lords don't particularly like it, General," Jolinar answered. "In fact they've done everything they can to limit the effectiveness of the Hverrtalamitlar through the Protected Planets treaty, including limiting their number and limiting them to exchanges of information only, forbidding any exchange of weapons or supplies between the Tok'ra and the Asgard." She paused. "Also, as a Hverrtalamitlr, Freya is a high-priority target for the System Lords."

"This is true, General Hammond," Teal'c said. "Although I do not believe the actual identities of any of the Hverrtalamitlar are generally known."

"They are not," Jolinar said.

"And you'd like to keep it that way," Hammond concluded. "We will consider Freya's identity to be privileged information," he promised.

"Thank you, General."

"And the only way she can contact the Asgard is from this Hall of Thor's Might on Cimmeria itself?"

"In this case, under the terms of the Protected Planets treaty, yes," Jolinar answered.

"And you think it's a good idea to split your team; to have you and Dr. Jackson accompany this Freya to Cimmeria, Colonel?"

"I'm not quite ready to give the Tok'ra the keys to my truck," Jack answered. "But this healer of theirs won't be showing up to pop Jolinar out until tomorrow or the day after, and there's not a whole lot to do here in the meantime."

"Teal'c and I can't go, sir," Sam added. "Asgard-protected planets are forbidden to all symbiotes, Tok'ra included, except for those blended with a Hverrtalamitlr."

"General, I think this is probably the best chance we're going to get to make contact with the Asgard," Daniel said.

"And you don't think they're going to be upset that we destroyed their anti-Goa'uld device?" Hammond asked.

"I think Daniel's hoping they'll agree saving Teal'c was a good enough reason, sir," Jack answered.

"And if nothing else Freya is going to have to tell them what happened anyway," Daniel added. "I just think it will look better if we're there too."

Hammond sighed. "When were you and Dr. Jackson planning to leave, Colonel?"

"The plan is we get a good night's sleep and leave in the morning," Jack answered.

"Very well. Keep me informed as best you can." Hammond hesitated. "You're all aware that Colonel Samuels was taken into custody by OSI?"

Daniel leaned towards Sam. "OSI?" he asked softly.

"Air Force Office of Special Investigations."

Jack's lips thinned. "Let me guess, sir. Samuels was found dead in his cell, an apparent suicide."

"You're a cynical man, Colonel," Hammond replied. "But in this case you're also correct."

"Have we managed to learn anything from the other two, sir?" Sam asked. "Weterings and Nimzicki?"

"Unfortunately, no," Hammond answered. "Samuels recruited them, and he's the only one they dealt with. We'll keep digging, Captain, but..." Hammond's voice trailed off.

"I understand, sir."

"Just... be careful out there. Hammond out."

"You too, sir," Jack said quietly as the event horizon blinked out.

"I umm, I don't know about the rest of you," Sam said, breaking the silence that had fallen, "but we're starting to get kind of hungry."

Jack gestured for her to precede them. "So how's this work, Carter? Are we talking food pills? Nutrient paste formed into exciting geometric shapes? Soylent green?"

Sam hesitated, then lowered her head. "May I just point out that you voluntarily eat MREs, Colonel?" Jolinar said.

"I'm not sure 'voluntarily' is quite the right word," Daniel responded.

In truth, SG1 found the food in the Tok'ra cafeteria to be remarkably similar to the food found in the SGC mess.

"Hosts are human, Colonel," Aldwin pointed out. "A symbiote gets both nutrition and sensory input from their host, including the sense of taste. It simply makes sense to have food that is both nutritious and enjoyable." He looked down at his empty plate. "Well, nutritious anyway."

"So I take it you won't be wanting your usual second helping then, Aldwin?" Jhebem's host Imre asked as he passed by their table.

Aldwin sank down in his seat. "Sorry, Imre," he called.

"Yeah, yeah," the cook responded. "I spend hours slaving over a hot stove for you people and what kind of thanks do I get?"

Aldwin stood, picking up his plate. "I'm really sorry, Imre. May I please have a some more of this wonderful, delicious food?"

"Oh, go ahead," Imre responded, gesturing toward the serving line before going back into the kitchen.

Once everyone at their table who wanted a second helping had sat back down, Daniel asked, "Is it usual for a host to have a second... well, job. I mean, one separate from the symbiote's?"

"Actually, Doctor, it's unusual for a host and symbiote not to have different duties," Martouf replied. "They are, after all, two different people, each with their own set of skills and interests. Ideally those interests will complement each other, but if not something can usually be worked out."

Aldwin nodded. "It's also much better for the psychological health of the host if they can contribute in some way." He paused. "Not to mention that we are too few to voluntarily do without the skills of what is essentially half our population."

Daniel nodded. "Makes sense."

"So what's the one who's not working do?" Jack asked. "Just sit back and chill?"

"Relax. Take it ah, easy," Sam translated for the mystified Tok'ra.

Martouf nodded to signal his comprehension. "Sometimes, Colonel. Although the best pairings occur when both halves take at least some interest in the interests of the other. Forgive me," he continued, pushing his chair back from the table and standing, "but Lantash has an early day tomorrow and he can be grumpy if we don't get enough rest. Have a pleasant night, everyone," he said, gathering up his plate and utensils and taking them to the recycler.

Daniel yawned. "Actually, that's probably not a bad idea."

The others agreed and SG-1 was soon back at the short, dead-end corridor that lead to their assigned quarters. Jack halted as he realized Sam had not turned into the corridor with the rest of her team. He turned to see her still standing in the main corridor. "Carter?" Daniel and Teal'c both turned as well.

"There's... some things I need to take of, sir." Sam gave them a quick smile. "Have a good night, guys. I'll see you in a bit." She turned and began walking back down the corridor.

A figure stepped in front of her, halting her movement. "Was there something you needed, Captain Carter?" Willem asked.

"Jolinar needs to be with her mates," Sam responded.

_I do?_

_Yes, you do._

Willem nodded and stepped back, allowing Sam to pass. He looked over to where Jack and Daniel had moved back into the main corridor. "Good rest to you, gentlemen."

Jack's lips thinned. Daniel tilted his head slightly as he watched Sam turn the corner and vanish from view. "What-"

"Not a word, Daniel. Not one. Damn. Word."

  
  


  
  


Cordesh hugged his knees tightly to his chest, rocking back and forth.

_Cordesh. Cordesh, please. We can fix this._

_How, Kellam? How? We're traitors. Traitors to the Tok'ra. By now Garshaw will have told all the other bases-_

_So what? This whole thing is Garshaw's fault anyway. If she hadn't tossed aside your centuries of loyalty for that popinjay Martouf and his oily, smarmy-_

_Yes... yes... you're right. You're right. How dare she. How dare she! To say that I didn't have the right skills to be a delegate to the High Council. How dare she!_

_And so sympathetic. "Both your talents are better suited for administrative duties." Administrative duties! Like we can't do anything beyond filling out forms and- and filing!_

_She just didn't want to have to do it herself, that's all._

_They're just jealous. Jealous and envious. They all are._

_We'll show them. We'll show them. They'll see. They'll all see._

  
  


  
  


Martouf looked up as a figure appeared in the doorway of their suite of rooms. "Sam?" Freya and Gerim looked up at the sound of his voice, turning to look at Sam as well.

"Rosha... seems like someone I would have liked, if I'd had the chance to know her," Sam said. "It's not much, but I- I thought you might like the chance to mourn her- to celebrate her- as a family, at least for a little bit."


	11. Chapter 11

Jack adjusted his cap as the event horizon dissipated behind them. "All right, so which way to this- this-"

"Hall of Thor's Might," Freya supplied. "Or Strength, or something like that."

"Or something like that?" Jack repeated incredulously.

Freya glared at Jack. "Cimmeria was safe, Colonel- protected from the Goa'uld. Forgive me if I didn't consider learning the details of this world my highest priority."

"You at least know where it is, right?"

"If I did, Colonel, I wouldn't need you and Dr. Jackson to talk to the natives of this planet, would I?"

"Ah, why don't we head to Gairwyn's village?" Daniel suggested. He gestured at the path leading out of the glade that held the Stargate. "Go ahead, we'll catch up in a minute." Freya nodded sharply and with one last glare at Jack she started down the path.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Smooth, Daniel. That totally wasn't obvious at all."

"I don't care," Daniel snapped, glancing over his shoulder to be sure Freya was out of earshot. "Just what the hell is with you, Jack? The poor woman barely said good morning when-"

"That's not a woman, Daniel. That's a damn snake wearing a woman's body."

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "This is about Sam, isn't it? About her leaving last night to spend some time with-"

"Jolinar's mates?" Jack interrupted. "And it wasn't 'some time', the damn snake kept her out the entire damn night."

"What are you saying, Jack? Because the impression I got is that it was Sam's idea to begin with."

"Yeah, I know," Jack said quietly. He looked away. "Not sure if that makes it better or worse."

Daniel opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.

Jack snorted. "Exactly."

Daniel shook his head. "We need to fix this, Jack." He gestured toward Thor's Hammer sitting dark and silent at the edge of the glade. "This might be the only thing that can safely get Amaunet out of Sha're, and I'll be damned if-"

"Dr. Jackson. Colonel O'Neill," Anise interrupted as she moved past them. "A Jaffa patrol just came over the ridge. Hide yourselves."

"Did they see you?" Jack demanded.

Anise shook her head. "I don't think so. We were still inside the treeline when we caught sight of them."

The three concealed themselves in the brush some yards distant from the Stargate.

_What was Dr. Jackson saying about Amaunet?_ Freya wondered.

_I don't know,_ Anise responded as the Jaffa patrol entered the far side of the glade. _You can ask him_ _later._

One of the Jaffa dialed the DHD and the entire patrol departed through the Stargate.

"Huh," Daniel said as he stood. "Guess they were far enough away they didn't hear us coming in."

"Any idea who they were?" Jack asked.

"They bore Heru'ur's mark," Anise responded.

"Hair o' air?" Jack repeated.

"Heru'ur," Daniel corrected. "I don't think we've encountered him before." Jack shook his head.

"Then count yourself lucky," Anise responded. "Heru'ur is the son of Ra and of Hathor."

"Lovely," Jack muttered.

"While Ra lived, he was at most a mid-level power among the Goa'uld," Anise continued, "but with Ra's death he has managed to acquire much of his father's empire, vaulting him into the ranks of the System Lords. He also claims Ra's title of Supreme System Lord, although at this time only a few minor Goa'uld have acknowledged him as such."

"How much of a problem is this?" Daniel asked. "Heru'ur's Jaffa being here, I mean."

Anise lowered her head. "The Protected Planets Treaty depends on two things, Doctor," Freya responded. "The ability of the Asgard to enforce it, and the System Lords' belief in that ability."

"It seems they've been able to enforce it so far," Jack commented.

"Asgard ships and weapons are notably superior to those of the Goa'uld," Freya acknowledged.

Jack lowered his sunglasses to look at her over their tops. "But..."

"The Asgard homeworld is in the Ida galaxy."

"So how much of a presence do they have in this galaxy?"

"Enough," Freya answered.

"That's... disquietingly vague."

"Even if I knew specifics, Colonel, you are, at best, merely a potential ally at this time."

"Valid point," Jack acknowledged. "I take it the Goa'uld know this, too?"

"Of course," Freya responded.

Daniel looked back and forth between Jack and Freya. "Jack?"

"So... how much of this Protected Planets thing is real... and how much of it is a massive bluff the Asgard are running?"

"That... is a question the System Lords would dearly love to know the answer to, Colonel."

"That's what I was afraid of." Jack shoved his sunglasses back into position. "We'd better get going then."

They walked back along the path the Jaffa had used, weapons at the ready, until they came to a spot at the top of a bluff where the path widened out and afforded them an excellent overview of the village in the valley below.

"Looks like our Jaffa friends stopped here for a while." Jack might not be as a skilled a tracker as Teal'c, but he still knew how to read sign. He looked at the village below them, at the wisps of smoke rising from several of the buildings, the heaviest marking the village forge, and the childish shrieks drifting up from several figures darting between houses and around the larger, slower-moving adults. "In fact, it looks like this is as far as they went."

"Then we may yet be in time," Freya said. "That must have been a reconnaissance pat-" She whirled, her zat coming up. "Colonel, I sense naq-" A blast from a ribbon device struck her chest, throwing her back.

Kendra stepped from the shelter of the trees, the ribbon device on her hand still aimed at the fallen Tok'ra. A dozen men emerged as well, surrounding Jack and Daniel. Two had arrows nocked and aimed, the rest held either a sword or an axe, according to their preference. "Place your weapons on the ground," one of the men, his full, lush beard of gray-streaked red contrasting with the thin fringe of hair circling his otherwise bald head, ordered. "You say these are the men who claimed to be men of Midgard?"

"They are," Kendra answered. "Although why they travel with an Etin I cannot say."

"Umm, yeah," Daniel said as he and Jack both slowly knelt and placed their guns on the ground in front of them. "Kendra, hi. I know this looks bad but really, I can explain-"

"My symbiote is no demon," Freya croaked. She sat up, but made no move to get to her feet as Kendra brandished the ribbon device at her. "You were a host."

"Once. No more."

"Did your demon ever speak of the Tok'ra?"

"What if it did?"

Freya's eyes flashed. "We are of the Tok'ra," Anise stated.

"Hold!" the red-bearded man bellowed, halting the sudden forward surge of his armed followers toward Anise. "Archers 'ware your prisoners." The two archers swung their aims from Anise back to Jack and Daniel, who had not moved. The rest of the men stepped back to their previous positions, still holding their weapons at the ready. "Did your demon speak of these... Tok'ra?"

"It despised them," Kendra answered. "And also, I think, feared them more than a little. They are of the demon-kind," she continued, "but are said to have forsworn the ways of their kin- and to work for their destruction."

Anise nodded. "That is so."

The red-bearded man gave all three of them a long, considering look. "Olaf," he ordered, "inform the lawspeaker that his presence is requested." One of the men nodded in acknowledgment and dashed ahead. "You shall have your chance, men of Midgard, to speak before the Thing," he continued. "And even you, demon, may speak- and be judged."

Anise lowered her head. "We have no fear of honest judgment," Freya responded, carefully keeping her hands visible as she stood.

Jack leaned toward Daniel. "Lawspeaker I can guess," he murmured. "I take it this Thing is some sort of court- ah, thing?"

"Traditionally it was an assembly of the free men of an area, presided over by the local chieftain," Daniel explained. "It settled disputes, elected chieftains and kings, and punished oath-breakers, among other things." He turned to the red-bearded man, raising his voice slightly. "Umm, pardon me, but is Gairwyn still mistress here?"

"Aye," the red-bearded man grinned. "Mistress of this land and of my heart. I am Ragnar, husband to Gairwyn and lord of these people."

Daniel smiled. "Daniel Jackson," he introduced himself. "Colonel O'Neill."

"I know your names," Ragnar replied. "And know this, men of Midgard," he continued, all trace of his earlier good humor gone from his face and voice. "If my love may be said to have a fault, it is that she is too kind and generous of heart."

"While you," Jack interrupted, "are a nasty, suspicious bastard who will do whatever he has to in order to keep his people safe."

Ragnar inclined his head. "I'm glad we understand each other, Colonel." He gestured toward the path leading down to the village. "Please."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skaldic verse is incredibly complex- I'm not even going to try. Badly done English blank verse is more my level of poetic ability.

"By their own words, they are the very reason Thor has turned his back on us and allowed the Servants of the Etin to come to our land," Oski, a short, rotund man whose hatchet-blade of a nose dominated his otherwise unremarkable features, proclaimed to the assembled Thing. "And worse, they themselves travel with an Etin that they claim-" Oski's disbelief dripped from his voice as he spoke, "they claim has rejected the ways of its kind. Does the wolf give up eating sheep and turn to eating grass?"

"The dog who protects the sheep; is he not cousin to that same wolf?" Daniel countered.

Oski scowled at the ripple of laughter that flowed through the Thing. "And more, these men of Midgard would have us believe that Thor- mighty Thor, wise and just, can not- nay, will not, hear the voices of men- of true and loyal worshipers- but only the voice of their pet demon?" Another ripple flowed through the Thing, this one of angry muttering.

"I am no pet," Anise responded. "And it is not my voice that Thor will harken to, but the voice of my host."

"Kendra has told us but little of the great evils her demon did," Oski continued, addressing the crowd once more, "having no wish to recall such horrors. Indeed," he grimaced, "the little she has told is far more than I did wish to hear. But has she not told us of how her demon did use her voice to deceive her people and lead them to slaughter and enslavement!?"

"Thor is testing us!" a voice called out from the crowd. "He has permitted this demon to come here to test our faith!" The crowd parted to allow a man with close-cropped blond hair and a luxuriant mustache with braided ends that hung below his chin to come to the fore. His face was twisted in loathing as he glared at Anise. "You say the one you call Freya permits you to use her body, demon? I ask," he spun, turning to face the crowd, "what sort of vile, sniveling coward permits a demon to use her thus?" The muttering of the crowd grew angrier in response. "Aye," the blond man continued, hand going to the axe in his belt as he turned back to face Anise. "T'would be mercy to slay such a thing as this."

The iron-shod tip of the lawspeaker's staff of office cracked twice against the rock below his feet. "Demon or no, the man who draws steel at a Thing names himself wolf's-head and outlaw," Cnut snapped, blue eyes blazing from beneath bushy white eyebrows. "That is the law." He glared at the crowd until they settled back into some semblance of order.

"Have a care, Steinar," Ragnar spoke softly from his place beside the lawspeaker. "I did promise these fair trial, even the demon. Do not make me forsworn."

"Twas a promise ill-made," Steinar grumbled, but he moved his hand away from his axe and made to step back into the crowd.

"Hold," Freya called. "Am I to be called coward, and vile, and given no chance to correct such slander?"

"Steinar speaks harshly," Cnut acknowledged, "but his question has merit. Why do you permit the demon to use you thus?"

Freya turned to the crowd, gesturing with chained hands. The manacles about her wrists had been inscribed with mystic runes that called upon Thor's might to bind the demon within her. "People of Cimmeria, will you hear my tale? Will you hear my words in full and only then judge if the accusation against me be true or no?"

"You may speak," Cnut responded. "And have the truth- or untruth- of your speaking judged by this Thing."

Freya drew in a deep breath. "Freya am I named," she began, "and Wave-Dancer known  
Daughter to that Signy called Sea-Strider.  
Upon Ransgard's great world-ocean was I born,  
Her sea-foam my mother's milk,  
Her tempests my teething ring."

"Oh that's brilliant," Daniel murmured as a ripple of surprise ran through the crowd. Jack tilted his head questioningly. "It's- I think- no, it's definitely fornyrdhislag." Daniel explained. "Or something close to it, at least."

"Oh, of course," Jack responded dryly. "How could I have missed it?

"It's- it's one of the simplest forms of- of skaldic verse and- umm, skaldic verse is unique to Norse- and I guess Norse-related- cultures and- and-"

"And not something a Goa'uld would bother learning?"

"Probably not," Daniel answered, waving Jack to silence so he could listen as Freya continued to speak.

"Through tempest wind and thunder's roar,  
Mountain wave and lightning's fire,  
Great white wings of woven cloth  
Did speed triple-treed _Aegir's Plow_  
Across the ocean's bosom."

"That's impossible," a voice jeered from the crowd. "You can't build a ship with three masts."

"Why not if it's big enough?" another voice shot back.

"It'll tear itself apart," the first voice responded.

"Just because you can't do it, doesn't-"

Cnut's staff cracked on the rock below his feet again. "Silence!"

Freya nodded her thanks and continued. "Upon the branches of _Aegir_ 's trees  
Walked women and men sure of foot and strong of arm  
To bind and loose the great white sails.  
No matter the sleet-needle's sting or burn of sun,  
How thick the ice or wild the wind  
'Gainst Ran's raging fury ever did we dance,  
Nor stood I least among that company."

"Ran was the goddess of the sea in Norse mythology," Daniel explained quietly. "Sailors wore gold hoops in their ears to give her as a gift if they-" Daniel glared at Jack, rubbing the spot where the other man's elbow had connected with his ribs.

"Good friends had I, companions true  
Aye at sea, and of the land as well,  
Dearest of all Hrolfgar, son of Birsa  
Called Honey-Tongue by some, by others Acid-Tongue  
But named by all as Master Skald  
And by me as husband dear, and father true  
To that Gudrun whom I bore, and suckled at my breast."

Freya paused, taking a deep breath, then continued in a subtly quieter voice, which had her audience leaning forward, intent on catching every word.

"But 'twas not the tempest's fury laid me low,  
No raging wave did snatch me from my place,  
Indeed the skies were clear and the breeze but mild  
And the ship itself in harbor docked that day.  
But a moment's distraction and a misplaced foot  
Did fling me down upon the pier beneath.  
I lived- but with my body broken  
My legs but smashed and useless flesh  
Beyond any command of mine, ever more.

To Great Freyja's temple was I brought  
To seek the Goddess' mercy and to ask  
If not for healing then at least to grant  
Surcease from pain that did rack me still  
And made my days unending in their agony.

Within those sacred temple walls  
A fateful choice was laid before me.  
The first would take away my pain  
But could not heal my broken body.  
The second would end my pain  
And cure my body both- but at a cost.  
For did I choose the second way  
Then from my native land exiled  
And forever separated would I be  
From husband and daughter dear.

For guesting within those temple walls  
A warrior bold from a distant land.  
She'd fought the Etins since before my birth  
And my mother's birth as well.  
Now, with hair gone gray and trembling limbs,  
Nzinga sought for one who would  
Take up her task, and grant her rest.

So too there did I meet Anise  
Of Etin blood and body 'tis true.  
Yet the open hand of friendship preferring  
O'er the tight-closed fist of power,  
She did fight her kin and seek their end.

As I listened they did tell  
Not only of battles fought  
But of a friendship true.  
Tales of laughter and of joy  
Of two lives so entwined  
They seemed as one.  
And of their sorrow  
At their union's coming end  
As Old Age placed its weight upon Nzinga  
A weight Anise could share, but could not take  
Yet would drag her under as it would Nzinga  
Unless another could be found  
To share her flesh and grant Anise a home.

Nor the costs did they deny  
Exile, as I have told- and more.  
The most painful tortures, agony unending  
That even death could not release  
Should we fall into Etin hands.

Nor was that all- yet one more task  
That should I choose would bring  
Especial hatred from the Etin  
And fierce desire for my end.

For of the hand of hosts who spoke  
To the gods and Tok'ra both  
One had fallen, so they sought  
Another loyal to the gods  
Who would take their comrade's place,  
And fulfill their company anew."

Freya paused, spreading her hands as much as her chains would allow.

"My choice you know  
And so may judge  
If it be cowardice or no.  
Wisdom deep, or folly vast,  
And if my words be true."

Freya bowed and stepped back. Several members of the Thing hooted and applauded, while others scowled and muttered darkly. One scowler shoved his cheering neighbor, sending him stumbling and almost starting a fight before some calmer members of the Thing intervened and separated the two would-be combatants.

Cnut held out his staff to Gairwyn. "Take this."

Gairwyn's hand closed automatically around the staff, even as she questioned, "Lawspeaker?"

"I have testimony that must be given," Cnut explained as Ragnar helped him step down from the Lawspeaker's Rock. Gairwyn nodded and stepped up to take his place.

"When I was a boy of eleven summers," Cnut said slowly, "our smith was badly burned when his forge caught fire in a high wind. Much of his skin was charred and blackened, the rest left blistered and weeping. He had been an incredibly strong man, and it seemed the cruelest of miracles that he should have lived. Two days after the fire, a traveler came to our village. He spent a good deal of time- most of a day- closeted with R- with our smith," the elderly lawspeaker corrected himself. "The next day the traveler departed. Our smith accompanied him, borne on a litter by four of the men of our village, with another four to accompany them as guards and relief. I did not accompany them, but was told later that the party traveled to the portal, where another stranger awaited them. He performed the rituals to open the portal and the two strangers carried our smith through, sending our men back to the village." Cnut paused. "What came next I would have thought a storyteller's tale had I not seen the truth of it with mine own eyes. A season later, our smith walked into the village, hale and whole, much to the joy of his parents, and the woman to whom he had proposed marriage. He could not stay, he said, nor could he ever return, for now he served the gods and fought the Etin in their name. He had been allowed to return this once, by Thor's grace, to say farewell to those he loved. He stayed the night, and in the morning departed. I have not seen him since that day."

"If your smith's name was Ranulf, I knew him," Freya responded. "He was of great age when he fell in battle, with the corpses of an Etin and many Servants piled about him."

"Ranulf was indeed the name of our smith," Cnut confirmed. He turned and, with Ragnar's assistance once more, retook his place on the Lawspeaker's Rock. Gairwyn handed the staff back to him and he rapped twice on the rock below his feet. "How judges the Thing in this matter? Are these men of Midgard to be believed? Has the Etin within this woman truly turned against its kind? Is this woman truly a servant of the gods? What is your verdict?"

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue in this chapter was taken from the transcript for Episode 2.06 "Thor's Chariot" on the Stargate Wiki (http://www.stargate-sg1-solutions.com/wiki/2.06_%22Thor%27s_Chariot%22_Transcript)

The monument with the sunlit red jewel inset near the top had obviously been designed and built by whoever had built Thor's Hammer and the obelisk near Cimmeria's stargate. Jack raised a skeptical eyebrow. "This is the Hall of Might?"

"Yes," Gairwyn confirmed. One corner of her mouth twitched slightly. "You were expecting something different?"

"Oh, I don't know," Jack responded, looking around the forest clearing as if there were a large building somewhere he'd simply missed seeing the first time. "Something a bit more... hallish, perhaps?"

"Maybe it works the same way as the obelisk does, and it will send us to the Hall of Thor's Might," Daniel suggested.

"Doctor Jackson is correct, Colonel," Freya responded as she moved forward to stand in front of the monument. "If the two of you will each place a hand on my shoulders...?" Jack and Daniel complied, and Freya raised her still-chained hands.

"Stop!" Gairwyn cried. "It is forbidden to touch the stone."

Freya twisted slightly, turning to look over her shoulder at the crowd of people still emerging from the forest behind them.

_How many of them agreed to let us come here so they could watch Thor strike us down for our temerity?_

_Cynic._

Freya gave Gairwyn a slight smile before turning back and placing her hands firmly upon the red jewel.

Gairwyn blinked rapidly, trying to clear the afterimages from her eyes. "Well," Ragnar drawled from behind her, his eyes focused on the spot where the travelers had stood before the brilliant scarlet light had burst from the jewel. "That was interesting."

"But what...?" Kendra began. "Did Thor..." Her voice trailed off.

  
  


  
  


"Well, this is a step in the right direction at least," Jack commented as he looked around. "Though maybe a bit more cave-ish than I was expecting."

A second monument, twin to the one in the clearing, was inset into the far wall of the cave. The monument's red jewel flared to life, spot-lighting the area directly in front of the monument. Moments later the image of a tall, red-bearded man dressed in typical Norse garb appeared. "I am Thor. You-"

"Hverrtalamitlr override," Freya interrupted. "Ingwiza Naudiz Ansuz. Cimmeria Kaunan."

A second beam shot from the jewel and swept across the entire cave, hesitating slightly each time it encountered a person. The beam snapped off and the image of the red-haired man dissolved to be replaced by an image of a small gray alien with large eyes of solid black. "Freya Signisdottir Wave-Dancer. And Anise of the Tok'ra. Greetings."

Freya inclined her head. "Greetings, Supreme Commander. May I present Colonel Jack O'Neill and Doctor Daniel Jackson of the Tau'ri?" She indicated her companions with a gesture. "Gentlemen, meet Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet." Freya took a deep breath. "I must report that Heru'ur's Jaffa have been performing reconnaissance on Cimmeria."

"Impossible," Thor countered. "Cimmeria is a safe world."

"Yeah," Daniel said. "We umm- We sort of messed that up."

"Careful, Daniel," Jack cautioned.

"Look, if we want them to be our friends, we have to show them they can trust us." Daniel turned back to Thor. "You-You see, we came here about a year ago to meet you and your people to make an alliance against the Goa'uld. One of our party, a Jaffa, was trapped in your labyrinth."

"The Jaffa serve the Goa'uld," Thor stated.

"The former First Prime of Apophis has become shol'va, Supreme Commander," Freya answered. "He now fights the Goa'uld alongside these Tau'ri."

"You see," Daniel added, "we had no choice but to destroy the hammer to free our friend."

"And by so doing, you have opened Cimmeria to attack by the Goa'uld." Thor's eyes narrowed in what was unmistakably a glare, even on his alien features. "Stay there," he snapped, and vanished in a flash of light.

"Wait!" Daniel cried. "We-

Thor reappeared. "Stay. There," he repeated, and vanished once more.

Daniel's shoulders slumped and he turned to face Freya. "What do we do now?"

Freya gave him a sympathetic smile. "We stay here." She moved over to one side of the cavern, sitting with her back against the wall. "I doubt it will be very long," she added.

"So...," Jack said slowly, breaking the silence that had fallen. "You've got a kid."

Freya smiled slightly. "I have grandchildren, Colonel. Two boys."

Jack blinked. "Oh."

"How-" Daniel cleared his throat. "How does your family feel about-"

Freya shook her head. "Permanent exile, Doctor, remember? I doubt my daughter remembers much, if anything. As for my grandsons, my husband's second wife is the only grandmother they know." She hesitated, then continued, "My family is alive, and free to live out their lives. There are others among the Tok'ra who... have not been so lucky. But please," she continued, "Sam said you would likely have many questions- and I must admit we are somewhat curious about you Tau'ri as well."

  
  


  
  


"So you- all of you- the Tok'ra- were- are- the children of- of Egeria. Literally. As in..."

"Yes, Doctor," Anise confirmed. "I myself am part of the last clutch Egeria spawned before her disappearance."

"Disappearance?" Jack asked.

"Her ship never arrived at its destination," Anise answered. "We presume she was captured by Ra, and executed." She paused. "There have been a few symbiotes who were born as Goa'uld and later converted to the cause and philosophy of the Tok'ra, but not many. And no Queens."

Daniel adjusted his glasses. "So no Queens means-" The cavern vanished, replaced by four bare metal walls. "Umm, wow. What just-"

A door slid open and Thor stalked in. "The damage to the device is repairable," he announced as the three scrambled to their feet. "Freya Signisdottir Wave-Dancer, you will provide the Tau'ri with a list of the worlds covered by the Protected Planets treaty."

Freya nodded. "Yes, Supreme Commander."

Thor turned to Jack and Daniel. "Any further damage to Asgard devices by you or any other Tau'ri, for whatever reason, will not be dealt with so leniently next time. Is that clear?"

Jack nodded sharply. "Understood. Sir."

"Umm, yes," Daniel answered, glancing over at Jack. "But we-"

Thor took one step forward. "I said, is that clear, Doctor Jackson?"

"Y-yes," Daniel stammered, unconsciously taking a step back. "B-"

"Good." Thor pivoted on his heel and stalked out, the door sliding shut behind him and merging seamlessly with the wall once more.

Jack relaxed out of the attention stance he'd assumed at Thor's entrance. "For cryin' out loud, Daniel-" The metal walls vanished, replaced by the SGC's Main Briefing Room and the astonished faces of General Hammond and the members of SG-2.

"Colonel O'Neill! What in blue blazes...?!"

"We met the Asgard and- well-" Jack grimaced. "Have you... ever been to Roswell? Sir?"

Hammond scowled. "Colonel-"

"Is this the world of the Tau'ri?" Freya asked, looking around as she spoke. "Oh. Forgive me, you must be General Hammond." She smiled. "You are exactly as Jolinar described you."

"Oh, umm," Daniel adjusted his glasses, "General Hammond, this is Freya Signis-"

Freya shook her head. "Just Freya when I am Tok'ra, Doctor."

Daniel blinked. "Freya. And umm, Anise."

Freya lowered her head. "Thank you, General, for the clemency you showed to Jolinar," Anise said.

"It's umm, it's complicated, General, but Anise and Freya are umm, close with Jolinar and umm, Jolinar's previous host," Daniel explained.

"I... see," Hammond said slowly. He turned to Ferretti. "I think we're done here, Major." He looked back at Anise, and at the chains still binding her. "Ask Sergeant Siler to stop by with his tool kit, if you would."

Ferretti's shoulders slumped at this clear dismissal. "Sir," he acknowledged.

"Now," Hammond continued, once Ferretti and the rest of SG-2 had departed, "Colonel. An explanation?"

  
  


  
  


"And by 'true' Tok'ra, I take it you mean someone like Cordesh, Healer?"

Daniel and Jack exchanged glances as Sam's voice carried out into the corridor. Beside them, Freya, Malek and Selmak all stiffened in anger.

"Cordesh fell under bad influ-"

"Thank you for your skills, Healer Ta'seem," Selmak snapped as the group swept into the chamber, "but perhaps it is time for you to depart."

The healer, a male Tok'ra with dark hair worn slicked back from a high forehead, bowed stiffly and stalked out. Malek raised an eyebrow and, at Selmak's sharp nod, followed him from the room.

Sam stood in the center of the chamber beside a large, liquid-filled tank in which a symbiote could be seen swimming in agitated circles. Teal'c stood against one wall, arms crossed over his chest and a stony expression on his face. "Carter?" Jack asked. "Teal'c? Problems?"

Sam let out a breath, unclenching her fists and noticeably relaxing her stance. "No, sir. No problems."

"Not at this time, O'Neill," Teal'c confirmed. He had shifted as well, and now stood in his customary position with his hands clasped behind his back and an impassive expression on his face.

Jack nodded toward the tank. "I take it that's Jolinar?"

"Yes, sir," Sam confirmed.

"You good to go?"

"Almost, sir."

"There is one last bit of business that needs to be concluded," Selmak explained. "Sam wished for you to be present."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "Well, we're here."

"A few more minutes, sir."

"Do we wish to know why Malek was escorting Ta'seem through the chappa'ai?" Martouf asked as he and Aldwin entered.

"No," Freya and Sam snapped simultaneously. Aldwin and Martouf exchanged glances and made no further comment.

Sam turned and lifted the lid on the support tank, allowing it to fall back on its hinges. She lowered her arm into the liquid and Jolinar swam up from the bottom of the tank, twining around Sam's forearm. "Sh, shh," Sam murmured as she stroked Jolinar. "It's all right. Shh."

"Ahh, Sam...?"

"Just a minute or two more, Daniel. I promise."

Garshaw entered then, followed by Malek, She'nol and a fourth Tok'ra Jack and Daniel recognized as the final member of the Base Council, although they had never learned either the host's or the symbiote's name. Sam withdrew her hand from Jolinar's tank and closed the lid. She looked around, then wiped her hand on her pants leg.

"Is everyone present?" Garshaw asked. Selmak nodded. "I declare this council in session," Garshaw declared. "Samantha Carter of the Tau'ri, do you accept the judgment of this council in the matter of the Tok'ra Jolinar of Malkshur and her crimes against you, or do you wish to appeal?"

"I wish-" Sam hesitated. "I wish to defer my decision."

The Council members exchanged glances. "That... is an unusual request, Captain Carter," Garshaw said.

Sam nodded. "I am aware, Master Garshaw."

"If you do this, you will still be considered Jolinar's host for as long as you do not choose to answer," Saroosh pointed out. "With all the responsibilities that come with being a Tok'ra host."

"I am willing to accept the duties- and the rights- of a Tok'ra host," Sam replied.

Saroosh's eyes widened, then narrowed thoughtfully. "I see," she murmured. She turned back to the other members of the Council. "Neither Selmak nor I see any reason to object to Captain Carter's request."

"Nor do Malek and I," Hanno declared.

The remaining council members looked between Sam and Hanno and Saroosh with varying expressions of curiosity, then Garshaw declared, "If that is the case, then Captain Carter will remain as legal host to Jolinar of Malkshur, until such time as she chooses to either exercise or forgo her right of appeal, or the time allotted for Jolinar's sentence has been served." Garshaw looked at the other council members, and added, "This Council session is now adjourned."

Sam turned to face Jolinar's mates. "I hope you're wrong," Freya said, "but thank you."

Sam smiled thinly. "So do I." Her smile faded, and she added, "Take care of her, guys," before turning and walking over to where the rest of SG-1 were standing. "We can go now, sir."

"After you, Carter," Jack said, indicating the corridor with a gesture. "Although an explanation would be nice," he added as they walked. "Captain."

"It's complicated, sir."

"Uncomplicate it," Jack ordered.

"Yes, sir," Sam answered. "I... don't know how much you heard before you came in-"

"You mean that bit about 'true' Tok'ra?" Jack interrupted. "Might it have something to do with the fact that Jolinar started out as your garden-variety Goa'uld, rather than having been born a Tok'ra?"

Sam stopped. "How did you...? Freya." she concluded.

Jack snorted. "Give us a little credit, Carter. Actually it was Anise who told us about how Edge- Edge-"

"Egeria," Daniel muttered.

"-Egeria started up the Tok'ra, and how most of them are her kids," Jack continued as they resumed walking. "But she didn't say anything about Jolinar one way or the other."

"Then how-"

"You have two oddballs in the group, both with 'of something' names, both of whom have reputations as Goa'uld that Teal'c's heard of... not too difficult to figure out who the converts are, Carter."

Teal'c nodded. "I have been told of how Jolinar once challenged the System Lord Rama, Captain Carter, and how she would have overthrown him if not for the intervention of Apophis."

"Challenged Rama?" Sam repeated. "That's... not quite how Jolinar remembers it." She shook her head. "In any event, did Anise say anything about the True-born?" Jack and Daniel both shook their heads. "They're a small but vocal faction who believe only those symbiotes spawned by Egeria can be trusted, and that all converts' essentially Goa'uld natures will eventually re-assert themselves, to the detriment of the Tok'ra."

"I take it Cordless was another convert?" Jack asked.

"Actually, sir, Cordesh was spawned in Egeria's fifth clutch. Of Tok'ra."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "Seems like that might be a bit of a stumbling block," he drawled. "For their theory, I mean."

Sam's lips twitched. "Yes, sir."

"Let me guess, Tok'ra can be as bad as humans about explaining away facts that don't fit their preconceived ideas," Daniel put in.

Sam nodded. "Oh yeah."

"Is that why you decided to remain Jolinar's umm, 'legal host'?" Daniel asked.

Sam nodded again. "The True-Born are a small group, but they do have allies on the High Council."

"Can this High Council umm, overrule the decision of a- a Base Council?"

"For the good of the Tok'ra as a whole, yes," Sam confirmed.

"You think they'd... do something to Jolinar?

"For the good of the Tok'ra," Sam repeated.

"But I thought Garshaw was umm- was the Supreme High Councilor," Daniel objected. "Couldn't she-"

Sam shook her head. "Only as long as a majority of the High Council are willing to accept her leadership."

Daniel grimaced. "And all this... won't exactly help."

"No." Sam took a deep breath. "The Tok'ra consider the bond between host and symbiote the strongest, most sacred bond there is," she explained. "I am still legally Jolinar's host, even though we're physically separated, which in this case means her sentence can't be altered without my input. The True-Born would probably consider the- the danger Jolinar represents to be enough to override that law, especially since her ahh, 'innocent victim' wouldn't be harmed, but it's a serious enough step that their allies on the High Council will be hesitant to take it. I hope."

"Would these True-Born attempt to physically harm Jolinar of Malkshur while she is in the support tank?" Teal'c asked.

Sam shook her head. "They'd lose allies for sure if they tried something like that. Still," she added, "I'm glad she's with friends."

They had arrived at the chamber housing the planet's stargate, and Jack signaled to the Tok'ra technician in the control room above. "Ready to head home, Carter?" he asked as the stargate flared to life.

"Of course, sir," Sam answered.

"Daniel?"

Daniel held up his free hand as he watched the GDO strapped to his other wrist. "Not quite- We're clear." Jack gestured for Sam to proceed up the ramp.

Sam climbed the ramp, then hesitated at the top, turning to look back into the depths of the complex. Behind her, the three men exchanged glances.

"Carter?"

Sam turned on her heel and plunged through the event horizon.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for brief discussion of sexual violence and non-human sexuality in this chapter.

The barrels of the gate guards' weapons followed Sam as she walked down the ramp, her open hands held out to her sides and fully visible. She halted before the trio of men standing at the base of the ramp, came to attention and saluted. "General Hammond, sir."

Hammond returned Sam's salute. "Captain."

"General?" Daniel's voice came from behind Sam. "What's going on here?"

"Concerns have been raised regarding the possible conflict of interest involved in having members of the SGC evaluating," Hammond hesitated, "Captain Carter's fitness for duty. The NID will therefore be taking the lead until this matter is resolved."

Maybourne signaled to the SF standing beside the door. "Corporal?"

"Place your hands behind your back, linking your fingers together," the corporal ordered. Sam complied, and the SF fastened a pair of manacles around Sam's wrists. He then fastened a pair of shackles to her ankles and lifted a padded metal collar to her neck. "Raise your chin."

"Colonel Maybourne, that's enough!" Hammond barked.

Maybourne bristled. "With respect, General Hammond-"

"It's all right, sir," Sam interrupted. She raised her chin. "Go ahead, Corporal."

"Ma'am," the corporal acknowledged, fastening the collar around Sam's neck. He checked the chains between collar, manacles and shackles to be sure none of them had become tangled, then took Sam's upper arm. "Take small steps," he advised.

Sam smiled slightly. "Thank you, Corporal." Her eyes went to the third man standing silently beside Hammond and Maybourne. "Major Davis. Congratulations."

"Captain," Davis acknowledged.

Maybourne scowled. "Let's go."

"General, permission to-"

"Denied, Colonel," Hammond interrupted. They watched silently as Sam, escorted by Maybourne, Davis and a total of five SFs, departed the Gate Room. "Report to the infirmary, SG1," Hammond said quietly. "We'll debrief in ninety minutes."

  
  


  
  


Sunlight glinted off golden armor as Heru'ur stepped from the chappa'ai onto the soil of Cimmeria. A squadron of Jaffa knelt before him, heads bowed. "Report."

"The slaves of this world remain unaware of our presence, Lord," Veral'c reported.

Heru'ur grinned at his First Prime as he accepted a staff weapon. "Then by all means let us make them aware of it." His helmet slid closed as he strode down the steps of the chappa'ai and into the forest, his Jaffa rising to their feet and following in his wake.

Heru'ur raised his hand, bringing the Jaffa behind him to a stop. His helmet slid back, a slight distortion in the air the only sign his personal shield remained active. He eyed the cloaked and hooded figure standing on the far side of the small clearing. "What is this?"

No sound or movement came from the cloaked figure.

Heru'ur scowled and paced forward. "Kneel before your god, slave- and answer- and you may yet live."

The cloaked figure laughed scornfully; a rich, feminine sound. "Turn back, pretender to godhood, and you may yet live. You and your Jaffa." She threw back her cloak to reveal a golden-haired warrior clad in armor, with a long sword in one hand and round shield in the other. A beautiful necklace hung around her neck. "Continue, and die, by unanimous decree of the High Council of the Asgard."

Heru'ur sneered and took a deliberate step forward. "The Asgard have grown weak. This planet will only be the first-"

The warrior stepped forward and swung her sword. Lightning flared as it struck Heru'ur's shield, blinding the watchers and- for a brief moment- it seemed a shorter, slighter figure with a large head all out of human proportion to its body stood where the warrior had stood. Then the lightning faded, and the god's headless body collapsed at the warrior's feet.

The warrior dropped the broken stub of her sword, drawing a dagger from her belt. "It will do you no good to call for the ha'tak that was in orbit, First Prime. They will not answer."

Veral'c lowered his communicator. "Let us have the body of our god, and we will go."

Heru'ur's body disappeared in a flash of light. "You may have his head," the warrior answered. "Go now, Jaffa. You will not have a second chance."

Veral'c stepped to the side and bent to pick up Heru'ur's head, his eyes never leaving the warrior's. "To the chappa'ai," he ordered. The Jaffa retreated, and soon the sound of the chappa'ai engaging was audible through the trees.

The warrior waited until the Jaffa had left before re-sheathing her dagger, then turned to face the village. Raising her voice, she called, "Warriors of Cimmeria, show yourselves."

Ragnar, Gairwyn and around two dozen other armed men and women emerged from their hiding places. "I commend your willingness to defend your homes," the warrior continued, "and apologize for disrupting the ambush you had planned."

"That is quite all right," Ragnar answered. "Lady Freyja." He gestured back toward the village. "Will you sup with us?"

Freyja smiled and shook her head. "I thank you but I cannot. Thor is preparing for a mighty battle, else he himself would have come to your aid. I ride now to fight at his side." She gestured toward the clearing that held the chappa'ai. "Thor's Hammer is whole once more. The Etins and their servants shall not trouble you again." She inclined her head, "Warriors," and disappeared in a flash of light.

Far above, the Asgard ship _Hildisvini_ broke orbit and departed. For the next several nights, the people of Cimmeria were treated to a fantastic light show as pieces of what had once been a Goa'uld ha'tak and its crew of Jaffa burned up in the atmosphere. One of those pieces was a headless body that had once called itself a god, but no one happened to be looking up at the moment when it flared briefly before being reduced to drifting ash.

  
  


  
  


"Dr. Frasier, thank you for joining us."

"Sir," Janet acknowledged, setting her clipboard on the table in front of her as she sat.

"Your report, Doctor?" Hammond continued.

"While some physical traces remain, including traces of naquadah in her blood, Captain Carter is symbiote-free," Janet reported. "Colonel Maybourne and Major Davis did not wish to risk the possibility that Captain Carter was still... infested, before leaving the security of the mountain," she added in response to SG-1's questioning looks.

"Ah," Jack nodded. "Letting megalomaniacal aliens run around loose does tend to look bad at promotion time."

"Colonel."

"Sorry, sir."

Hammond nodded. "Anything else, Doctor?"

"While I don't know what the long-term effects of the changes to Captain Carter's physiology will be, right now the Captain is in excellent physical shape. Better than when she left, in fact."

"Better?"

Janet hesitated. "You're aware that Captain- then Lieutenant- Carter suffered injuries to her spine due to a zero-zero ejection event during her service in the Gulf?"

Jack nodded. "It's in her service record."

"Umm," Daniel raised his hand, "a zero-zero ejection event?"

"Zero altitude, zero airspeed," Jack explained.

Daniel blinked. "I take it that's not supposed to happen."

"No, it's not," Jack answered. "Carter was EWO on one of the old Spark-Varks and-"

"Ja-ack..."

"Spark-Vark was the unofficial nickname for the EF-111A Raven, Doctor, since they were modified F-111 Aardvark aircraft tasked with electronic warfare operations," Hammond explained. "An EWO is an Electronic Warfare Officer."

Daniel nodded. "Electronic- spark- got it."

"The important thing," Jack continued, "is that instead of separate ejection seats, the Varks had a single crew escape capsule that enclosed both the pilot and the EWO. They were doing preflight when the ejector rockets ignited, sending them a couple hundred feet straight up in about two seconds. Luckily the capsule chutes, at least, worked the way they were supposed to." Jack hesitated. "Carter had finished strapping in when the ejectors fired," he continued, "the pilot hadn't. Carter survived."

Daniel's eyes widened. "What- How- What happened?"

Hammond's lips thinned. "That's... a bit of a long story, Doctor. The F-111's were developed in the early 1960's," he explained. "By the mid-to-late 1980's they were beginning to be phased out, with the newer F-15E Strike Eagles becoming the new interdiction fighter, with the EA-6B Prowlers taking over the EF-111A's electronic warfare role. As a part of that phase out, manufacturing of various components ceased, and replacement stocks were allowed to dwindle. Then came Desert Shield and Desert Storm." Hammond sighed. "While there was plenty of evidence that the Iraqi military was indeed the paper tiger it turned out to be, it would have been irresponsible in the extreme to not plan for the possibility that the Iraqi's were as strong as they seemed at the time. Because of that, the phase out of the F-111's was halted, and several were re-activated.

"Unfortunately, with replacement stocks of various F-111 components being low and nobody manufacturing new ones, the decision was made, after a supposedly extensive engineering review, to extend the operational life of several of those components before mandatory replacement. The component in Capt- Lieutenant Carter's plane that suffered a 'catastrophic failure' and triggered the capsule ejection sequence would have been replaced before the previous mission under the old guidelines. Under the new guidelines, it would not have been replaced until after the mission Lieutenant Carter and her pilot were scheduled to fly that day." Hammond's lips twisted. "The old replacement guidelines were brought back into effect after that." He paused. "Once she was released from the hospital, Lieutenant Carter was assigned to work with Project Giza."

"While she has completely healed," Janet continued, "three of Captain Carter's vertebrae were damaged, suffering cracks which have since healed, and some minor chipping. This damage is easily visible on an X-Ray or MRI scan. Or was. There is no damage visible on Captain Carter's current MRI." Janet held up one hand. "I had a second one run, same result. There are no cracks, no chips, and no sign she was ever injured."

"Are you saying Jolinar could repair a years-old injury- a major injury- so well there's no sign of it ever having occurred?" Hammond asked.

Janet nodded. "Yes sir. Captain Carter is aware this was done- she told me: 'It's real' when I ordered the second MRI."

Jack scowled. "So Jelly-jar's a polite house-guest but-" He drew in a deep breath. "Did Carter mention anything else that might have happened?"

"Sir?"

"Any sort of... aah... interaction? With the Tok'ra?"

"Colonel?" Hammond asked.

Jack's lips thinned. "I was hoping I wouldn't-" He shook his head and drew in a deep breath. "Cart- Captain Carter... spent the night with some of the Tok'ra."

"Spent the night, Colonel?"

"The umm, the Tok'ra- some of the Tok'ra at least, seem to practice a form of umm, multiple marriage," Daniel explained.

"Multiple marriage?" Hammond repeated. "Like Mormons?"

"A bit more egalitarian than umm, than the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints used to practice in that women can apparently have ah, multiple umm, husbands as well," Daniel answered, "but basically... yes."

Hammond scowled. "And Jolinar was part of one of these... multiple marriages?"

Janet's eyes were wide. "Sam... never even hinted at anything like-"

"Captain Carter was not sexually assaulted," Teal'c stated.

Hammond's scowl deepened. "Are you saying she willingly-"

"The Goa'uld consider sexual desire to be an expression of the animal nature of their hosts, and suppress it," Teal'c explained. "Those who do allow such desires to be expressed are considered weak and are often targeted by other Goa'uld, even more than would usually be the case." He hesitated. "Goa'uld Queens are a... regrettable exception to this rule."

"Great," Daniel muttered.

"It has much to do with why they are at once revered and reviled in Goa'uld society." Teal'c paused, squaring his shoulders. He continued in a flat, expressionless voice, addressing a point on the wall across from his chair. "While the Goa'uld are aware of the effects sexual assault can have on their victims, and are indeed capable of directly violating their victims, most prefer to delegate such tasks, either to their Jaffa, or to favored human slaves. Many slaves," Teal'c hesitated. "Many slaves," he continued, "and many Jaffa, consider the opportunity a reward for their loyalty to their gods, and a sign of divine favor." Teal'c shifted his gaze to meet Jack's eyes. "I see no reason to believe the Tok'ra would differ from the Goa'uld in their distaste for sexual congress."

Jack nodded. "That's... good to know. If a bit difficult to believe." He held up a hand. "I mean- I'm not saying- it's just- y'know- sex- reproduction- that's a- that's a pretty basic drive. Like... food."

"A- Ac-" Janet cleared her throat. "Actually, Colonel, while it is a basic drive for- for humans," she continued, "we know the Goa'uld, with er- with the exception of the queens, are basically asexual. That drive may simply not be there for them."

"So the whole use- or rather misuse- of sex as a- as a tool of- of domination- of power- they- the Goa'uld- maybe they... got that from us?" Daniel asked. "That's... a bit disturbing."

"Maybe... the Unos?" Jack suggested, looking over at Teal'c. "Could it..."

"I regret I have no knowledge of Unas reproduction, O'Neill," Teal'c responded. "Although I was once told the Unas were neither male nor female, but both at once."

Daniel blinked. "They were hermaphroditic?"

Teal'c nodded. "So I was told."

"Putting aside the whole... Goa'uld...sex... thing..." Hammond cleared his throat. "Putting that aside, what- precisely- happened with Captain Carter? Colonel?"

Jack and Daniel exchanged glances. "Maybe..." Daniel said slowly, "what happened is exactly what Sam said happened."

Jack looked away. "Yeah," he muttered. He turned back to face Hammond. "When I asked, Captain Carter responded that she wished to give Rosha's family a chance to mourn her in as much privacy as she could, while they could still communicate with Jolinar fairly easily."

"I see," Hammond said. He drummed his fingers on the table in momentary thought, then asked. "Is there anything else I should know?" The others responded with a chorus of "no, sirs" and shaking heads. "Very well then-

"General," Daniel interrupted. "What umm- what's going to happen with Sam now?"

Hammond sighed. "I don't know, son. I don't know."

  
  


  
  


Thor nodded in greeting as Freyja stepped down from the transporter platform. "High Commander."

Freyja nodded in return. "Supreme Commander."

The two Asgard turned and walked down the corridor, the gracile slenderness that marked Freyja as a member of the Vanir clone-line contrasting with Thor's stockier Aesir-line clone. "You took quite a risk, High Commander," Thor said quietly as they walked.

"I felt confident in Volundr's work on the Goa'uld shield disruptor, Supreme Commander," Freyja stated.

"I was referring to the risk you took being on Cimmeria at all, much less engaging in single combat with a System Lord in full view of the natives. If your masking hologram had failed-"

"My crew was monitoring me the entire time, and beaming power directly to the hologram generator in case the battery shorted out-"

"Which it did."

"-with orders to beam both of us away if anything went wrong." Freyja halted, turning to face Thor. "I judged this was the best and most effective way to both reassure the humans of Cimmeria and to forestall any further attempts by the System Lords to seriously challenge the Protected Planets Treaty, while consuming the least amount of resources."

"The Commandant of Asgard Ground Forces isn't exactly a minor resource, Freyja," Thor admonished.

"The Cimmerians needed to see one of their gods, Thor, to know we still protect them," Freyja argued. "I just happened to be the closest one available."

"Hmm," Thor responded. "I've spoken with Heimdall," he added as they continued down the corridor. "He'll be shifting some resources to keep a closer eye on these Tau'ri, now that they're using the chappa'ai once more."

"Do we have the resources to shift?"

"That," Thor answered, indicating the door they were approaching, "is why we're here." A small sign beside the door read, in Asgard script, 'High Council Committee on Budget and Finance, Sub-Committee for Military Appropriations.'

 


	15. Chapter 15

"Fool! Imbecile! Even for one of Egeria's worthless get you are the very definition of a skulking, pusillanimous idiot!"

"M-mercy, please," Cordesh stammered. The Jaffa standing above Cordesh's prostrate form pressed down with the tip of his staff weapon in warning. "Gr-great Queen. Mercy. We thought only to bring warning-"

"You thought, if you thought at all, merely to save your own skin. And... we, little Tok'ra?"

Cordesh froze. "I- I misspoke."

"Could it be, that you have yet to properly master your host? That you still... consort with it?" Cordesh felt the pressure at the back of his neck ease, then fingers grasped his hair, wrenching his head up. "Your host. Is. An. Extremely. Clever. Animal. Nothing more. And like all lesser beings, it is your duty to exercise dominion over it."

"Y-yes, Great Queen, I-" Cordesh's face was shoved back down to the floor.

"Worthless. But... perhaps... it may yet be of some small use. Return this... Tok'ra to its cell."

  
  


  
  


"Daniel?"

"Sam," Daniel smiled. "You're back. Umm... are you back?" he asked.

"If the Colonel agrees," Sam answered, gesturing to the multitude of open books covering Daniel's desk. "Working on something?"

"SG-3 was assigned to check out P- ah-" Daniel glanced at a scribbled note, "P3X-775. Turns out it's run by a group calling itself Taldor- also the name of the planet, I think- but anyway, Taldor- which translates as-"

"Justice."

"Right. Anyway, Teal'c doesn't know much- or anything, really- about-" Daniel blinked. "Wait. How did you-?"

"Sorry. I just-" Sam gestured toward her head. "I'm not sure if 'remembered' is the right word but..." She shrugged. "Let me guess, they broke some law they didn't know about and were sentenced to life on- on-"

"Hadante," Daniel supplied. "Trespassing on sacred ground, carrying weapons on sacred ground and ah- giving aid and comfort to a murderer. Lieutenant Johnson gave the guy one of his mom's oatmeal cookies," he explained. "Apparently he umm, failed to mention the whole being-a-murderer thing when they met."

"What is the universe coming to? And being Taldor, if you've been accused then you must be guilty."

"Seems like it," Daniel agreed. "So do the Tok'ra-"

Sam shook her head. "Martouf was part of the diplomatic mission- the first and only mission, by the way- the Tok'ra sent to Taldor," she explained. "He later described them as 'a thin legalistic veneer over a toxic stew of repression, resentment and xenophobia'."

"That... does not sound promising."

Sam grimaced. "It was one of the few times Lantash was the one having to calm Martouf down, instead of the other way around," she explained. "Anyway," she continued, "the Tok'ra basically avoid that area now, and since the Goa'uld stripped it of all the easily obtained resources centuries ago and it's not near anything important, they don't bother with it either."

Daniel tilted his head. "But it was a Goa'uld planet," he said slowly. "Once?"

"Yes," Sam answered, equally slowly. "Daniel, what-"

"Daniel?" Major Kovacek asked from the doorway.

Daniel glanced at the clock and said something sharp and pungent in a language neither officer recognized, although they could guess his meaning from the context. "Ten seconds, Stan, I swear," he added, grabbing his knapsack and shoving his notes into it. "Ah, Sam, I-"

"I need to go see Janet anyway," Sam interrupted. She turned to leave, Kovacek politely stepping back to allow her to go through the doorway. "Major."

"Captain," Kovacek acknowledged. "It's good to see you doing better," he added as Sam stepped past him into the hallway.

Sam smiled. "Thank you, sir."

Sam continued through the SGC until she reached Janet's office. Pausing before the open door, she took a deep breath, then raised her hand and knocked on the doorframe. "Janet? Do you- Mrs. O'Neill?"

Sara and Janet both looked up. Sara stood and offered Sam her hand. "You must be Captain Carter. I know we've met before but..." Sara shrugged.

Sam blinked. "Yes- umm- yes, ma'am," she stammered, automatically reaching out and shaking Sara's offered hand. "Umm- How did you...?" She looked over at Janet.

"Professor O'Neill was the head trauma nurse on duty when Colonel Samuels was brought in after you- well Jolinar-" Janet stopped. "Nobody told you what happened, did they?"

Sam shook her head. "Just that they had arrested Samuels and the others after they were taken to the hospital."

Janet and Sara quickly explained what had happened, Sara ending with "I had exams to grade, so this has basically been the first chance Jack and I have had to get together so he can show me exactly what this Stargate thing is I've agreed to keep quiet about. And don't tell me anything- Jack gets all pouty if someone spoils one of his big ta-da moments."

Sam smiled. "I won't. Speaking of the Colonel-"

"He should be back any minute," Janet answered. "In the small world category, it turns out Sara served with my Aunt Colleen." Sam's eyebrows rose.

"First Lieutenant Sara Delany, US Army Nurse Corps," Sara answered with a rueful smile. "510th Evac, Da Nang. And no, that is not where Jack and I met."

"What isn't where we met?" Jack asked from the doorway.

"Vietnam."

"That would have been just way, way too cliché," Jack agreed. "Carter, glad you're here. Give us a minute?" Sara nodded in agreement. Sam stood and followed Jack into the corridor. "You doing all right, Carter?" Jack asked quietly. "NID didn't... umm...?"

"No sir," Sam answered. "Although... I think I might have misjudged Major Davis," she added. Jack gave her a questioning look. "He was there for a lot of it- as some sort of observer I guess," she explained. "A couple times when I was... worried about how far my 'interviewers' were prepared to go to get the answers they wanted, he got them to back off. I'm not sure how."

Jack shrugged. "He probably has an in with the guy who assigns parking spaces or something. Anything else?"

"Just a ton of medical-type tests after that, sir."

"Lots of big, honkin' needles?"

"Oh yeah." Sam shuddered. "They'll still be monitoring me on an on-going basis," she continued, "but Janet will be doing the actual umm, sample-taking. And I now have a standing appointment with Dr. MacKenzie as well," she added.

"Anything that would stop you from going through the Gate?"

"No, sir."

"Good, good." Jack rubbed his jaw. "Listen, Carter, back on umm- back with the Tok'ra, I may have umm- implied that umm-" He took a deep breath. "I was out of line, Captain. I apologize."

"Thank you, sir. Apology accepted."

"Great." Jack clapped his hands together once. "Teal'c ah- explained everything, so do whatever it is you need to do with Frasier and I'll get Hammond to put SG-1 back into the rotation," he said before turning and heading back to Janet's office.

Sam blinked. "Teal'c," she murmured, "explained... every..." Her voice trailed off, her expression shifting from confusion to anger. She glared at Jack's retreating back. "Because Teal'c explained everything," she muttered. "Not because I-" Sam took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then followed her commanding officer back to Janet's office.

Jack leaned in the doorway. "Ready?"

"Lead on, flyboy," Sara answered as she stood. "Janet, thank you. Tell McMurphy I said hello. Captain, it was good to meet you finally."

"I will," Janet said.

"You as well, ma'am," Sam answered. Once Jack and Sara had left, she turned to Janet. "Just to let you know, NID is-"

"Already got the email," Janet said, gesturing to her computer. "Things are pretty quiet; did you want to go ahead and set the baseline now?"

Sam shrugged. "Might as well." She followed Janet into the infirmary, waiting patiently as Janet laid out various medical paraphernalia.

"How-" Sam cleared her throat. "How's Cassie doing?"

"Better," Janet answered. "Open." Sam opened her mouth. "She's sleeping through the night again," Janet added as she shone her penlight down Sam's throat. "Close."

"Good, good," Sam nodded. "That's great news. Umm, the Colonel said he was going to put SG-1 back in the rotation, but it'll probably be a few days and with the weekend coming up I was wondering if you and Cassie might-"

"She already has a birthday party to go to on Saturday," Janet interrupted.

"Oh, okay. Well, maybe Sunday we-"

Janet shook her head. "Sam, I- I'm not sure..." She took a deep breath. "Let me think about it for a bit, okay?"

Sam smiled sadly. "I understand."

"It's not-"

"I understand, Janet. Really."

"So, umm-" Janet turned away to check her tools. "I'll need you on the table for this next bit. Sitting, to start." Sam obediently sat in the middle of the exam table. "So... have you talked to the guys yet?" she asked as she turned back to face Sam.

Sam shrugged. "The Colonel a bit- you saw that- and Daniel was running late for the negotiations with Taldor so we didn't really get a chance to talk. Haven't seen Teal'c yet, but he usually works out about now and I didn't want to interrupt. Which reminds me, I need to ask him exactly what he explained to the Colonel."

"Probably that whole thing about the Tok'ra not ah- not liking sex- having sex- sexual intercourse, that is," Janet responded. "Arm, please. Which was a bit of a surprise but really, when you think about-"

"Janet, what are you talking about? Trust me, the Tok'ra very much enjoy sexual intercourse, of all types. Hell, it's one of the benefits of being Tok...ra..." Sam's eyes widened as her voice trailed off, then she dropped her head into her hands, bracing her elbows on her thighs. "Oh. Ho. Lee. Hannah," she groaned, shaking her head slowly from side to side.

"Sam? What are you-"

"I hate biology," Sam grumbled. "It's... messy." She sighed heavily and raised her head to meet Janet's eyes. "Symbiote biology- particularly sexual biology- has some... complexities I don't think Teal'c is aware of," she began. "Hell, most Goa'uld aren't aware of them, outside of the System Lords. And the Queens, of course."


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter includes lengthy discussion of non-human sexuality.

"The System Lord owns all the Jaffa, he parcels them out to his underlords, head Jaffa is called the Prime, head of all the Primes is First Prime, yadda, yadda, yadda- we know all this, Carter," Jack stated. "It's Danny's Intro to the Jaffa 101 lecture he gives all the new recruits."

"Yes, sir," Sam acknowledged. "My point is, that while Teal'c was always one of Apophis' Jaffa, he didn't always serve Apophis. At least not directly."

"That is true, Captain Carter. I was Prime to the underlord Sopdu for many years before Apophis allowed Master Bra'tac to retire and," Teal'c's mouth twisted in distaste, "elevated me to First Prime. Indeed, except for two brief periods, most of my service as a Jaffa had been to one of Apophis' underlords, rather than directly in the court of Apophis himself." He titled his head slightly. "Like O'Neill, I fail to see the necessity of repeating what is already known."

Daniel yawned widely. The negotiations to free SG-3 had gone quickly once the Tau'ri negotiators had participated in a ritual exchange of personal gifts- and if it would have seemed to an outside observer that the value of the gifts given by the Tau'ri were of exponential magnitudes greater than those given by the Taldor negotiating team, well the Tau'ri were the ones petitioning Taldor after all, not the other way around. Even so, the vagaries of Gate travel meant that he and the rest of the negotiating team had returned, along with SG-3, just after local dawn in Colorado Springs. "'Scuse me. I gotta go with Jack and Teal'c here, Sam. Not really seeing your point here." He yawned again. "Sorry."

Sam held up a hand. "Humor me. Teal'c, you said the Goa'uld dislike sex, that they consider it an expression of the animal nature of their hosts."

Teal'c nodded. "That is so, Captain Carter." He looked over at Janet.

"Was this true of all the Goa'uld you served?" Sam continued. "Without exception?"

Teal'c's eyes swung back to Sam. "It was not," he stated. "Apophis and-" he hesitated, glancing at Daniel before continuing, "Amaunet often engaged in what I believe are termed, public displays of affection, as well as more... intimate relations in private, at least before the deterioration of Amaunet's previous host."

"Is all this really necessary, Captain?" Hammond interjected.

"Actually, I'm starting to get curious about where Sam's going with this, General," Daniel responded.

Hammond nodded. "Very well then. Captain?"

"Thank you, sir," Sam responded. "Two more questions, if I may- first, what is the percentage of potential child-bearers in the general human population? Approximately."

Jack blinked. "The percentage of what in the who-"

Daniel straightened in his seat, all traces of exhaustion seemingly erased. "Does your second question of something to do with the percentage of- of potential child-bearers among the Goa'uld?" he demanded.

"It does," Sam answered.

"Son of a-" Daniel ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe I-" He shook his head. "Idiot."

Janet smiled wryly. "If it makes you feel any better, it never occurred to me either. And it's a lot closer to my specialty than to yours."

"How about- for those of us whose specialties are even further removed from- whatever it is you're talking about," Jack interjected, "explaining... whatever it is you're talking about. Simple words," he added. "Three syllables, max."

Janet glanced over at Sam, who nodded. "To begin with, sir," Janet began, "for humans, the general ratio of potential child-bearers to potential fertilizers is about 50-50. In other words, humanity has a roughly equal number of females and males."

Jack nodded. "Oh kay. Following you so far."

"What would our species be like," Janet continued, "if the percentage of child-bearers, of females, across the entire species, were closer to the ratio of queen Goa'uld to erm, regular Goa'uld?"

Jack tilted his head. "More teenage boys doing dumb stunts to impress fewer teenage girls?"

"Actually, Jack, many of the dumb stunts teenage boys do- and adult men, for that matter- have as much or more to do with reinforcing homosocial bonding and maintaining hierarchies within their peer groups as they do with- with- umm, that wasn't where you were going, was it?"

Janet shook her head.

"Okay, but," Daniel continued, "Goa'uld are neuter- except for the queens of course- and they reproduce umm, parthenogenicly. Your analogy doesn't work."

"Queens can- and do- reproduce parthenogenicly," Sam acknowledged, "but, while they can genetically modify their offspring to a degree, so that those offspring are not completely identical clones, that ability is actually quite limited. Just to start, a queen can't select for a trait she doesn't already possess."

Daniel nodded. "Makes sense."

"More commonly, a queen will... accept a donation of genetic material from another symbiote, in order to increase the genetic diversity of her offspring." Sam took a deep breath. "With unhosted symbiotes- that is, symbiotes in an aquatic environment-"

"Water, Carter. Just call it water."

"Yes, sir. In that case, the process is fairly simple. The queen will approach the ah, chosen donor and release a quantity of- of nish'lak, which is then ingested by the donor."

"The Queen's Breath?" Teal'c asked.

"You mean that- that infernal purple mist?" Hammond demanded.

Sam nodded. "Yes, General. Nish'lak ah, produces hormonal changes in a symbiote, temporarily turning them into a- a donor. The erm, the effects on umm... sexually mature human males is, umm, is an unfortunate byproduct. Sir."

Daniel blinked. "I'm... not sure if that makes things better or worse."

"However," Sam continued, "with very few exceptions, physically mature symbiotes also have hosts. And that's where it gets complicated."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Gets complicated?"

"Oh, just wait, Colonel," Janet responded wryly.

"When a symbiote does have a host," Sam continued, "there are two methods by which they can erm, tap into the host's reproductive system. Which is where, from the Goa'uld point of view, the problems start. The first, and this is the one the Goa'uld use, is again through the use of nish'lak, which again induces hormonal changes in the symbiote and, to a lesser degree, in the host as well. The second method- Oh, and I should mention that both male and female hosts can be donors," Sam added. "The second method-"

"But queens are always female, of course," Jack said.

"Yes, s-" Sam hesitated. "Well," she began thoughtfully, "actually there's-"

"So how is having to- to connect with the host's reproductive system a problem for the Goa'uld?" Daniel asked quickly.

"Because once they... connect- for lack of a better word- they can't disconnect," Sam answered. "At least not without disconnecting completely from and having to leave their hosts, most likely killing the host in the process. And it's... not exactly pain-free for the symbiote either."

"So rather than umm, reverting to- to being neuter, the Goa'uld is- is basically stuck being a umm, donor?" Daniel asked. "And I presume it will, umm, want to continue donating?"

"Yes," Sam answered, "but that- essentially sexual desire- is not the problem, any more than it would be for any of us." She paused. "The second method- is through blending with a sexually mature host."

Daniel blinked. "But, all Goa'uld blend with-"

"No," Sam said flatly. "Goa'uld suppress their hosts. They do not blend. Only Tok'ra blend."

"Even though they're the same species?"

"Yes."

"Okay, Sam. What am I missing here?"

"He's not the only one," Jack added.

"When a Goa'uld invades a new host, it sends out tendrils that intertwine with the host's nervous system," Sam explained. "However, except for certain key points that let the Goa'uld control their hosts, the nervous systems of the host and the Goa'uld remain two separate, but linked, systems. In a blending, on the other hand, the symbiote's tendrils will- will mesh, will fuse with the host's nervous system and, essentially, become a single system shared between host and symbiote."

"Sounds like that would be even better for ah, controlling your host," Jack noted.

Sam smiled wryly. "The Tok'ra have a saying, sir. 'Host and symbiote feel as one.' It's not just a metaphor; it's the literal truth. Whatever physical sensations- be they pleasant, painful or anything else, that the host feels, the symbiote in a blended pair will feel as well."

"And the Goa'uld?"

"That's why the separate nervous systems, sir. A Goa'uld can inflict all manner of intense pain on a recalcitrant host while feeling none of it themselves. That's not the case for the Tok'ra. Also," she continued, "while both Tok'ra and Goa'uld are capable of- of overriding their hosts, in a blended pair control reverts back to the host whenever the symbiote sleeps, or loses consciousness for whatever reason."

"But not with this Goa'uld ah, impression-thingy."

"Suppression, sir. And no, unfortunately."

"It sounds like there are actual, physical differences between this blending and what it is the Goa'uld do, Captain," Hammond said.

"Yes, General. And," Sam grimaced, "to anticipate your next question, the only method so far of detecting that difference that's even halfway reliable starts with a post mortem examination of the host's brain."

"Let's save that one for when we really need it," Jack suggested.

"Okay, but while there are a limited number of queens," Daniel said, "the umm, the donors have both male and female hosts, right? So why, if I'm following you correctly here, don't the donor Goa'uld simply ah, get together, as it were. Why this- this whole elaborate structure of- of denial, for lack of a better word? I mean, I can see where the whole blending thing might be a problem, but from what you said the umm, nish'lak works whether the Goa'uld has a host or not."

"It does, but, the hormonal changes nish'lak induces in some ways mimic the effect of a blending," Sam answered. "What I said earlier, about how the Tok'ra feel as one? There's an- an emotional component as well. The- the feelings, the emotions, of host and symbiote tend to- to synchronize, the longer they're together. And while it doesn't happen every time, or even most times, that emotional synchronization with the host does sometimes happen when using nish'lak as well. And the Goa'uld symbiote... begins to see their host as something more than just a- a mere mount." She paused. "That's basically how Garshaw became Tok'ra, for one."

"Do I understand you correctly, Captain Carter, that the Goa'uld deceive not only those they have enslaved, but themselves as well?" Teal'c rumbled.

Sam nodded. "Pretty much."

Teal'c stared at Sam. Then his lips twitched, and twitched again, and he threw his head back in a roar of laughter.

"Ya doing all right there, big guy?" Jack asked.

"Once, I worshiped the Goa'uld," Teal'c explained, wiping at his eyes. "Later, I came to despise their cruelty, even if I still feared their power. But this- this is the first time I have seen how... pathetic they truly are."

"They're still the same power-hungry sadists they've always been, Teal'c," Sam warned. "Don't start underestimating them now." She looked around the table. "The Goa'uld who do reproduce are the ones who are the most ambitious, the most ruthless-"

"The System Lords," Jack stated.

"Yes, sir."

Jack shook his head. "But why- not saying you're wrong here, Carter, but do these- these lower-ranked Goa'uld- do they just not notice what-"

"From the sound of it," Daniel answered slowly, "the Goa'uld are practically a textbook authoritarian society. Rules... are for the little people, and if you're on top, then that means whatever you do is right, even- or perhaps especially- if what you do is something you've explicitly forbidden your followers to do. And, I'm betting," he continued, turning to Teal'c, "anyone who dares point out this- this hypocrisy- would be an enemy, or a traitor- and the followers will rally to defend their leader. As long as the leader remains strong."

Teal'c nodded. "Daniel Jackson is correct. No underlord, and certainly no Jaffa, would ever dare call Apophis to task for his actions, whatever they may be. Not if they wished to live."

"And that's just as true in the- the underlords' courts as well, I suppose."

"Indeed. If not more so."

"The lower-ranked Goa'uld know the truth, sir," Sam added. "Unless they're very new. They'll just never, ever admit it publicly, because-"

"Because if they do the others will gang up on them, all the while shouting the official party line to high heaven." Jack grimaced. "Sounds like snake-pit is an appropriate metaphor in more ways than one."

"One umm, one thing more," Daniel added slowly, looking down at his folded hands as he spoke. "The queens umm, they... aren't exactly innocent in all this, are they?"

Sam shook her head. "No, Daniel," she said gently. "They're not."

"You've given us all a lot to think about, Captain," Hammond said. "Is there anything else we should know?"

"Just one thing, General. I would like to state, for the record, that the totality of the physical intimacy that occurred during my time with the Tok'ra consisted of several embraces- hugs," Sam clarified, "and a single kiss with each of Jolinar's spouses; kisses for which my permission was explicitly asked for, and given. Nothing more," she finished with a glare at her teammates.

"So noted, Captain." Hammond stood. "Dismissed."

 


	17. Chapter 17

"Care to explain that bit of attitude back there, Captain?" Jack snapped as he opened the door to his office. "Because I seem to recall apologizing only a couple of hours ago. Hell, Daniel believed you from the start."

"Umm, actually-"

"With respect, Colonel, and leaving Daniel aside, you didn't apologize because you believed me when I told you nothing happened with Jolinar's mates," Sam shot back, "you apologized because Teal'c told you nothing could have happened."

"I apologized, didn't I?" Jack asked, his voice rising in volume.

"Jack-" Daniel began, only to stop at a subtle headshake from Teal'c.

"You apologized because you believed someone who not only wasn't there, but was also working off of bad intel," Sam answered evenly. "Sir."

Jack stood glaring at Sam for a long moment, then let out his breath with a sigh and sank into his chair. "Damn it, Carter," he said. "We're not the enemy here."

"I-I know that, sir" Sam answered as Teal'c and Daniel took their usual seats. "It's just..." She moved restlessly in the confines of Jack's modest office, made smaller by the presence of three other people. "I mean... these past few weeks... I...I..."

"We umm, well I can't say we know, Sam," Daniel interrupted gently, "I don't think anyone can. But... maybe..." He held out his hand.

Sam froze, staring at Daniel's outstretched hand, her eyes suddenly wide.

"Your presence has indeed been missed, Captain Carter."

"Umm, yeah." Jack scratched the back of his neck. "What ah- what they said, Carter."

Sam's hand shot out to grasp Daniel's. "Daniel. Teal'c. Sir," she said simply, her eyes going to each man as she spoke. They each nodded silently in response. Sam gave Daniel's hand a final squeeze and then gently withdrew her hand from his before taking her regular seat.

"So, umm, anyway, Daniel," Sam continued, "how are the negotiations with the Tok'ra going?"

"I ah, don't know," Daniel answered.

"We're not the ones doing the negotiating, Carter," Jack added.

"We... as in SG1."

"We as in Stargate Command," Jack responded. "There's been a few changes while you were ah, away. 'As a primarily military entity Stargate Command lacks the necessary resources blah blah blah delicate negotiations yadda yadda yadda-' long story short; the State Department's doing all that diplomatic uh, stuff."

Sam blinked. "Well, that- that sort of is their job, sir. But-"

"Also," Jack continued, "the Chairs and Ranking Minority Members of the House and Senate Appropriations and Armed Services committees, as well as the Speaker of the House and the President of the- the President pro tem of the Senate," Jack corrected himself, "have been briefed on the Stargate program, and will be receiving regular updates from the Pentagon and," Jack grimaced, "senior SGC officials, when appropriate."

Sam blinked again, then her face broke out in a wide grin. "That's wonderful, sir. I mean, not the whole umm, having to update thing," she corrected hastily, "but still, at least now you and General Hammond don't have to worry about maybe being arrested and-"

"Yahsureyoubetcha," Jack interrupted. "Anyway-"

"Arrested, Jack?" Daniel asked in a soft, even tone.

"Indeed, O'Neill," Teal'c rumbled. "Captain Carter's reaction to this news suggests something beyond the mere addition of 'another damn layer of bureaucracy'."

Jack sighed. "The War Powers Resolution."

Daniel blinked. "But... we're exploring, not- I'm mean yes, SG teams are armed but-"

"You could make that argument," Jack interrupted. "But you could also say: we've been sending members of the Armed Forces of the United States, equipped for combat, into the territory of a foreign nation where there is an imminent likelihood of hostile action. Without the knowledge and consent of Congress."

Teal'c tilted his head. "Is not the President also the Supreme Commander of your armies?"

"Commander-in-Chief," Sam corrected. "But Congress declares war, appropriates money and ah, makes the rules that govern and regulate the armed forces."

Teal'c frowned. "Who then has ultimate and supreme authority? The President or the Congress?"

"Technically, neither one," Sam answered. Teal'c's frown deepened. "It's... complicated," Sam finished.

"Indeed."

"But- But, wait a minute," Daniel protested. "What about the whole national security, people panicking if this gets out thing? I thought that was the whole point of- of- of keeping everything secret and all."

Jack smiled wryly. "Just because Congress has to be informed, doesn't mean the entire Congress in open session needs to be told. Informing the senior leadership of both parties is enough. It's the same setup SOCOM, ah, Special Operations Command, uses for some of their more... delicate missions."

"So why weren't we doing it this way from the beginning?" Daniel demanded.

Jack shrugged. "Too much paperwork turns your brain to mush?"

"Ja-ack." Daniel rolled his eyes. "And again, why would you and Hammond be arrested? For what?"

Jack gave a deep sigh and shot Sam an irritated glare. "Care to explain the concept of command responsibility, Captain? And how do you know so much about this- this lawyer stuff anyway?"

Sam winced. "I uh, I used to date a naval JAG, sir. Well, law student at the time, but he's a JAG now. I umm," she grimaced, "I dumped him for Jonas Hansen. Not one of my brighter moves. Anyway," Sam continued, "as the senior officers of the SGC, the Colonel and General Hammond are responsible for everything that happens, both here and umm, out there," she explained. "And if the SGC is determined to be an illegal operation, then they're responsible for-"

Daniel's eyes widened. "Damn it, Jack, why would you-"

"While I won't presume to speak for Colonel O'Neill," Hammond answered from the doorway, "for myself, I felt the need for this command outweighed any ambiguity in its legal status." He motioned for everyone to stay seated and leaned against the door jamb.

"The SGC was going to happen," Jack said. "The only question was who was going to be in charge." He paused. "Some people thought it should be a sub-unit of the NID, rather than an independent command."

"And if it came down to it, I do know some pretty good lawyers," Hammond added.

"These additional persons with knowledge of the Stargate; they are more men like Senator Kinsey?" Teal'c asked.

"Two of them are women," Hammond answered, "and, fortunately, no. While members of both parties felt that the President and the Pentagon had violated War Powers, they also agreed that Stargate Command should continue operating." Hammond's lips curled in a slight smile. "Reportedly, even the members of his own party were... less than happy with Senator Kinsey's unilateral decision to shut down the program in the face of the threat from the Goa'uld."

"So how- how does this change things?" Daniel asked. "Or does it?"

"The SGC will be under a greater amount of scrutiny than we've been used to," Hammond answered. "At least for a while. However, I don't feel that will be an issue for our people. In the meantime... Colonel?"

Jack grimaced. "Sorry, sir, got a little distracted. Ah, Teal'c, Daniel-"

Teal'c stood and nodded to Sam. "Captain Carter."

Daniel stood as well. "We can catch up later, Sam."

"Bye, guys."

Hammond stepped out into the corridor to allow Daniel and Teal'c to exit, then came back in and sat in Daniel's vacated seat. "Captain," he began. "Sam-"

"I take the SGC as a whole is not the only one facing increased scrutiny, sir?" Sam asked.

Hammond nodded. "It's been... strongly suggested that due to your... possibly divided loyalties that the Air Force find a use for your talents someplace other than at the SGC, or possibly," Hammond hesitated, "a non-punitive, administrative separation from military service."

Sam went completely still. "I- I see, sir," she said finally. "May I ask-"

Hammond held up a hand. "No decision has been made at this time, Captain. Personally, I retain the utmost confidence in you."

"Thank you, sir."

"What we're saying, Carter," Jack put in, "is that it might be a good idea if you... stepped back from this whole Tok'ra thing for a while."

Sam shook her head. "Sir, even if I wanted to, I can't. I'm still Jolinar's host- legally at least, and-"

"Tok'ra law doesn't apply here, Carter," Jack interrupted sharply. "Look," he continued in a softer tone, "maybe in a couple months, once people have gotten used to the idea that there really are 'good Goa'uld'..."

"And if-" Sam swallowed heavily, "if something happens to Jolinar in the meantime, sir? Something I could have stopped, if I'd been there?"

"She's with her mates, her- her family now," Jack responded. "I get the feeling they won't be letting her go without a fight."

Sam smiled. "No, they won't." Her gaze sharpened. "And what about you, sir? Have you gotten used to the idea that there can be 'good Goa'uld'?"

Jack blew out a breath. "I'm not going to lie to you, Carter. The idea of sharing head-space with a snake gives me all kinds of heebie-jeebies," he answered, "no matter how 'good'. But from what I saw... yeah. Maybe there can be 'good Goa'uld'. Or at least not-bad ones."

"Let the diplomats do their job, Captain," Hammond urged. "I'm betting, once everything's been hammered out, that we'll be needing someone here in the SGC who can help us develop a good working relationship with the Tok'ra."

Sam let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping. "First thing, sir? Don't call them snakes. The word is symbiote."

"So noted, Captain," Hammond responded.

Sam straightened. "Was there-" She cleared her throat. "Was there anything else, General? Sir?"

Hammond shook his head. "No, Captain, there wasn't. Dismissed."

Sam stood, came to attention and saluted. Jack and Hammond had gotten to their feet as well, and Hammond returned Sam's salute. The two men watched as Sam pivoted on her heel and strode out of Jack's office.

Once Sam had left, Jack turned to Hammond. "General-"

"We've bent our orders to the breaking point already, Colonel."

"Understood, sir."

  
  


  
  


"Although technically, I suppose we should refer to it as Zipacna's former host," Qetesh drawled as the image panned from the massive wound in the host's back to the body of a symbiote which lay several feet away at the end of a dried trail of mixed human and symbiote blood. "And where was his lo'taur?"

"We have not been able locate that individual, my lady," Cha'mal responded. "Many of the human slaves who fled the palace have yet to return. I judged our limited resources were better utilized in investigating this... incident, rather than attempting to track down a single slave."

"Yes, yes, quite right," Ba'al said absently as he continued to watch the images in front of them. "And none of the humans appear to have been harmed by this- this- whatever this was? Only Goa'uld and Jaffa?"

"Yes, Lord," Cha'mal answered. "Tuk'sha reports that it appears the prim'ta began tearing with their teeth at anything they could reach, be that the walls of their wombs or their own flesh, not ceasing until their death, and that of the Jaffa that carried them."

"All of them?"

"All of them, Lord."

"Could this be another of Ma'chello's weapons against us?" Qetesh asked.

Ba'al shook his head. "Ma'chello usually tries to save the host."

"Even geniuses make mistakes," Qetesh countered. "Or possibly he has come to see loss of the host as an acceptable trade-off for the death of a Goa'uld and his attendant Jaffa."

"Lord, Lady," the underlord Hanbi interrupted, "I do not think this is Ma'chello's handiwork. More than that, it resembles the effects of the Linvris Venom." He paused. "I realize you had not yet ascended to-"

Ba'al cut him off with a peremptory gesture. "Neither of us had even been spawned at the time of the Linvris Rebellion, you mean. But you were there."

"Indeed, Lord. It was a chaotic time, especially once the Venom had escaped the control of the Linvris."

Ba'al frowned. "Any Goa'uld who uses such a weapon, even once, will find the full might of the System Lords arrayed against him. And as you say, it escaped its creators' control. The risk seems... disproportionate to the reward."

"Besides, knowledge of the Linvris Venom died with the Linvris themselves, centuries ago," Qetesh added.

Hanbi bowed. "So it is said, Lady. But it has long been rumored that Ra, and possibly Lord Yu, obtained samples of the Venom before the destruction of the Linvris, and all their planets."

"Yu's domain is far from here, and he has shown little interest in expanding further," Ba'al responded. "But Ra is dead, and his domain broken apart. I myself hold over a dozen planets that once were his."

"Zipacna also held several planets that once belonged to Ra," Qetesh pointed out. "Perhaps he found this- this alleged sample and, not realizing what it was, released it."

"Perhaps," Ba'al said. "And had someone not recently attacked Nasya, I would consider that possibility."

"You believe the same enemy is behind both attacks, Lord?" Cha'mal asked.

"It would be an amazing coincidence otherwise."


	18. Chapter 18

SG-1's first mission after Sam's return had taken them to PJ7-989, the planet of the Keeper, and the Residents he had been holding prisoner in his virtual reality world. She was grateful that her time with Jolinar had meant the Keeper couldn't access her memories, but at the same time felt guilty about what that had meant for Daniel. He, with annoying perceptiveness, had pointed out that it was far more likely the Keeper would have split the two of them up so each could receive the 'full benefit' of 'having the chance to relive their momentous event', rather than leaving them together and merely alternating between their memories or anything like that. She had conceded the point, but still felt guilty.

Shortly afterward Janet had relented and allowed Sam to see Cassie again. They had been eating ice cream when Cassie said, "I knew she was lying."

"Knew who was lying, sweetie?" Janet had asked.

"Jolinar. When she said everyone would die if I told anyone. I knew she was lying."

Sam had nearly choked on her own ice cream as Janet bristled. "She, umm, she wasn't exactly lying," she had managed to get out. "Not really."

Cassie had frowned at that. "Yes she was."

"No. She was wrong, but that's because she was scared, and not really thinking."

"Because of the ashrak?"

"Because of the ashrak, and the death gliders, and thinking she was being rescued only to find herself here where people had never even heard of the Tok'ra." Sam had hesitated, then continued, "And I was scared too, and yelling at her, and not listening when she told me she wasn't a Goa'uld and tried to show me some of her memories."

Cassie had looked thoughtful at that. "I guess I'm glad she's not dead," she had pronounced finally, "because that means you would be dead too. But I'm still glad she's gone."

"We're all glad she's gone, honey," Janet had said. Sam had eaten a heaping spoonful of ice cream.

Later, after Cassie had fallen asleep and been put to bed, Sam had said, "She never wanted to hurt her, Janet. Keep her quiet, yes. If she'd known of a way to safely knock her out she would have. In a heartbeat. But as frantic as she was, actually, physically harming Cassie was never an option." Janet had looked askance at that. "I was there," Sam had continued, "and it was one of the first memories I tried to remem- one of the first memories I accessed, before Jolinar woke up."

"Hand to God, Sam Carter, if I ever find out you're lying to me about this-"

"You won't. I'm not."

The next mission of consequence had been to P3R-636, the planet ruled by Pyrus the God-Slayer. Daniel had visited the rest of SG-1 several times as they labored in the naquadah mines, telling them of his developing friendship with Shyla and urging patience. When he mentioned his repeated use of the sarcophagus on one of his visits, Sam had tried to remind him of the dangers it posed. Daniel had scoffed at her warning, remarking that whatever danger the sarcophagus might pose for her as a former host, he at least was still completely human, so that obviously did not apply in his case. He had later apologized profusely.

"I didn't think it would be easy," he had said, sitting in Sam's lab after his return from helping Shyla through her withdrawal. "I knew there'd be- that there will be- a lot of- of psychological damage to heal. I just-" Daniel had laughed then, a short, sharp sound without any humor in it. "I don't know why I'm so surprised that there would be physical effects as well. Obviously, anything that happens to- to Sha're won't suddenly not have happened, once Amaunet is gone."

Sam had looked up from the badly corroded alien mechanism- or possibly sculpture- SG-5 had brought back from M7D-189 with a sympathetic half-smile. "Daniel, Sha're is-" A loud snap had sounded then and Sam had yanked her fingers back. "Go'tak!"

"Ah, Sam-"

"Yes, Daniel, I am aware that I just cursed in Goa'uld," Sam had responded in a voice that was just short of a growl. "No, it is not evidence of some hidden programming Jolinar left behind."

"Umm, actually, I was just going to ask if you were okay."

"I'm fine."

"And I'll admit, while Goa'uld does have its fair share of good, visceral profanity," he had continued mildly, "brainwashing somebody to use it does seem a bit over the top. Even for them."

Sam had given an amused snort at this, shaking her head and noticeably relaxing. "She has you in her corner, Daniel. I can't imagine better odds than those." Sam had turned her attention back to the alien mechanism- or sculpture- then, and grimaced. "I'm not getting anywhere with this, and we've got that mission to P5C-353 in the morning. Getting into those enviro suits always takes longer than you think it will."

"Just let me grab a couple things out of my office on the way."

The mission to P5C-353 the next morning had resulted in Jack being literally pinned to the wall of the Gate Room by a spike from the mysterious orb SG-1 had brought back to study, and the near destruction of the SGC before they had managed to establish communication with the alien entity within the orb. Shortly after that Bra'tac had come through the Gate with news that Apophis had survived the destruction of his ha'taks, and now held Teal'c's son Rya'c. Fortunately, they had been able to break Apophis' brainwashing, and Rya'c and his mother Drey'auc had gone to live on P3X-797, the Land of Light.

  
  


  
  


Sam snatched at the ringing telephone, bringing the handset to her ear and cradling it against her shoulder while she balanced on one foot in order to tie her shoe. "Hello?"

"Sam?"

Sam straightened, holding the handset against her ear with one hand. "Mark?"

"Are you- Is everything all right?"

"Yes," she answered slowly. "Everything's fine, as far as I know."

"Honestly?"

"Mark..."

Mark Carter blew out a long breath. "Dad called last night while we were out. Left a message on the machine saying he'd try again later."

"Did you-"

"Yes, I tried calling. Got his machine."

"Well maybe-"

"Sam. The last time Dad called out of the blue like this was your accident. And it's not like we have a bunch of other relatives."

Sam ran her free hand through her hair. "Look, I've got to get to work; I'm supposed to be catching a flight for this... thing in DC. Don't ask. I'll try to get ahold of Dad and let you know what's going on as soon as I can."

  
  


  
  


"Still nothing?" Jack asked as he walked into the Control Room.

"This is the third time we've dialed through to Abydos, sir," Harriman replied. "Still no response to any of our hails."

"Kasuf's unburied the Gate, Jack," Daniel said. "It's been a year- one Abydonian year, and-"

"Someone unburied the Gate, Daniel," Jack interrupted. "That's all we know. If it was Kasuf, or the militia, where are they now? Even if the MALP coming through scared them off, it's been there most of the morning. You'd think someone would have shown at least a little curiosity by now."

"Jack, it's already past noon, Abydos time. And I can guarantee you if it was Kasuf, by sunset he will start reburying the Abydos Gate. Forever." Daniel took a deep breath. "I told him we'd have Sha're and Skaara back by now. I was wrong. But doesn't he at least deserve to know we're still trying?"

Jack scowled at the image on the monitor. "This... smells," he said finally. "And I really don't like the idea of you walking into something like this without backup."

"Teal'c's already agreed to go with me."

"I meant full backup," Jack snapped. He grimaced. "Sorry, T. You're good, but there's only one of you."

Teal'c nodded in acknowledgment. "I, too, would feel more secure if you and Captain Carter were able to accompany Daniel Jackson and I to Abydos."

Jack leveled another glare at the monitor. "What about a later flight?"

"There isn't one that will get us to DC in time for the ceremony, sir, military or civilian," Sam answered.

"What about-"

"Checked that too, sir. No go."

"Not even-"

"We would have had to have left last night when General Hammond did for that to be a viable option, sir."

"Colonel?" Lou Ferretti spoke from the doorway of the Control Room. "Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing. SG-2's started prepping for our mission to P3R-513, but that's just a standard survey. No reason it can't be pushed back a bit."

"Lou's been to Abydos as much as anyone, Jack," Daniel pointed out.

"Major Ferretti has shown himself to be a capable warrior of the Tau'ri," Teal'c added.

"When were you scheduled to ship out?" Jack asked.

"In about two and a half hours, sir," Ferretti answered.

"All right then: Daniel, you've got two hours to get the rest of SG-2 up to speed on Abydos. Teal'c, ah, just... do your thing. Carter, come on. We've got a plane to catch."

 


	19. Chapter 19

"Probably our closest ally on Abydos is Kasuf, the headman of the town of Nagada, which is just one of multiple towns and villages on Abydos, each ruled by their own leader," Daniel explained. "In fact, Nagada is actually one of the smaller towns in terms of population. However, its position as the nearest settlement to the chappa'ai, and thus as the gateway between Abydos and the rest of the universe, gives Nagada- and therefore the headman of Nagada- an outsized level of political and economic influence on the rest of the population of Abydos, compared to its size." Daniel crossed his arms and gave SG-2 a quick, sardonic smile. "In some ways, killing Ra didn't change things on Abydos all that much. Nagada enjoyed a certain amount of power and prestige due to their closeness to Ra before, and enjoys a certain amount of power and prestige due to their closeness to us now.

"While the office of headman is nominally an elective one," Daniel continued, uncrossing his arms, "it tends to be dominated by one family within a town. Call it a proto-aristocracy, of sorts." He hesitated, then continued. "Using Nagada again as an example, Kasuf was elected as headman after the death of his older brother, who had become headman after the death of their uncle, who had been married to the daughter of the previous headman. Now this headman did have sons- two in fact, by his second wife- but they were both young boys at the time of their father's death, and were passed over in favor of the husband of their adult half-sister."

Sergeant Dominguez raised his hand. "What happened to the boys, sir? After their brother-in-law became headman, I mean?"

"Basically, they were married off to the female relatives of other headmen as soon as they were old enough," Daniel answered. "I'm sure none of you will be surprised to learn that they went to live with their wives' families in villages that were quite some distance from Nagada. As you may have gathered," he continued, "the leading families marry among themselves. Or more precisely, are married, as the actual negotiations take place between the heads of the two families. It's not unusual for the ah, prospective couple to meet for the first time on their wedding day." He hesitated, then added, "As you may be aware, Kasuf is also my father-in-law."

Clare Tobias raised her hand. "The rumor is that your wife was some sort of... gift. Sir."

"I think we're getting a little off track here, Lieutenant," Ferretti broke in.

Daniel held up his hand. "Actually, Lou, I'd like to clear this up. Lieutenant- Clare, if I may?" Tobias nodded. "Good. I'm Daniel. Now- Oh and, Juan and Lee, that goes for you as well."

Sergeants Dominguez and Maxwell, without looking at each other, responded in perfect unison, "Understood, sir."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "As I was saying, yes, Kasuf did give Sha're to me as a gift. However," he continued, "it wasn't just on a whim, and it wasn't just sucking up to the quote, Messengers of the Gods, unquote. Especially as I didn't even realize he had given her to me at first.

"Nagada's two main trading partners- and rivals- are Olbia, which is both a major fishing port and the only protected harbor for several hundred miles up and down the coast, and the the town of Faras, which controls the Itjtawy Valley, the main agricultural region in the area," Daniel continued. "At the time of our first mission, the headman of Olbia had two adult sons. The elder one was married and expecting the birth of his own first child, while the younger was... available for a wife of suitable rank. Meanwhile, the newly installed headman of Faras was also searching for a wife. Of suitable rank, of course."

Tobias raised her hand again. "How many women- of suitable rank- were um, available, sir?" she asked slowly.

Daniel held up a single finger. "At least, not without over a week's travel in each direction during any negotiations," he added. "Now, remember how Kasuf's uncle had become headman?" The others nodded. "The younger son of the headman of Olbia was already the highly successful captain of a small fleet of fishing vessels. And while Kasuf had been training his son Skaara almost since birth to lead Nagada, he was still just a boy. And Kasuf was already older than both his uncle and his father had been at the time of their deaths."

Maxwell raised his hand. "What was wrong with the headman of- of Faras, sir? As a prospective son-in-law, I mean, since he had his own town to run already and all."

"I asked Kasuf that once," Daniel answered. "He didn't answer me at first, then he said that while children, animals and women all need to be ah, physically disciplined at times, it is not something a man should enjoy. I never asked again.

"Anyway," Daniel continued, "this whole thing brings up a very important point. While the people of Abydos are generally good people, they live in a cultural milieu that is not- I repeat, not- that of late twentieth-century America. We are guests, and hospitality is sacred to the Abydonians, so they will politely ignore any minor missteps, but still-"

"Everyone here has served at least one tour in the Middle East, Daniel," Ferretti interrupted.

Daniel nodded. "Good, good. Ah, Clare, I imagine they'll treat you much like they treated Sam, as a sort of honorary man." He tilted his head slightly. "You're blonde as well, which will help."

Tobias touched her hair. "Weird-looking foreigners can be expected to behave weirdly, sir?"

"To a point," Daniel answered. "Although I wouldn't try and push it too far." He looked over at Ferretti, who had not-so-subtly tapped his watch and was holding up three fingers. "Anyway, to finish up..."

  
  


  
  


"Ah, George. Come in."

"Mr. Secretary," Hammond acknowledged, closing the door behind him.

"Assistant Director Vargas, with the Bureau," Simms continued, introducing the other man in the room. "General Hammond, CO of Stargate Command."

Hammond's eyebrows rose at this, but he only inquired mildly, "Bureau?" as he and Vargas shook hands. "As in Federal...?"

"Bureau of Investigation, yes," Vargas confirmed. "Call me Walt."

"George."

The Secretary of Defense gestured toward a trio of leather wing-back chairs arranged in a circle. "Gentlemen?" Once the three men had taken their seats, Simms continued, "As you may have guessed by now, George, the official reason for your visit was... not entirely accurate."

"I had gathered that, Mr. Secretary."

Simms nodded. "Basically, the FBI is looking for a little assistance from the SGC."

"We'll help if we can, of course," Hammond answered slowly, "but domestic law enforcement isn't exactly in the SGC's bailiwick."

Vargas leaned forward in his chair. "Would it help if I told you that my bailiwick is the Bureau's Counter-Intelligence Division?"

Hammond's eyes narrowed. "Go on."

"A little over six months ago, we became aware that a civilian administrator at Groom Lake had become quite ah, enamored with a young lady employed at an establishment known as the Sporting Lady Ranch," Vargas began.

"Seeing as it's Nevada, I'm guessing the young lady in question was not exactly in training for the Olympics."

"Not exactly," Vargas confirmed. "Being both attractive and apparently talented at her erm, profession, her time doesn't exactly come cheap either. And while working at Groom Lake pays quite well, this particular administrator was also paying some pretty hefty alimony and child support from two failed marriages."

Hammond shook his head. "I think I know where this is going, but-"

Vargas' mouth twisted in a wry smile. "Just wait. We checked the woman out thoroughly, of course. She's exactly what she appears to be, nothing more. The administrator, on the other hand, was able to give us all sorts of interesting information about who he sold information to, and what they were most interested in- which is where the SGC comes into the picture..."

  
  


  
  


"Still no movement, sir," Harriman reported.

"All right," Ferretti responded from his position on the ramp in front of the active Gate. "Shut 'em down."

"MALP visual and audio sensors shutting... down... now, sir."

Ferretti nodded to Maxwell and Tobias. "On three. One. Two. Three." Tobias and Maxwell each pulled the pin from an M84 flashbang grenade and lobbed them through the event horizon, Maxwell's arcing upwards while Tobias threw hers in a low, flat trajectory. Ferretti held up a hand, counting down, then he and Dominguez went through the Gate, P-90's at the ready. Maxwell and Tobias followed moments later.

"I still think Lou's being overly paranoid," Daniel muttered.

"So you have indicated, Daniel Jackson."

"Looks clear, Colonel," Ferretti's voice came through the Gate Room speakers.

Daniel and Teal'c both turned to look up at the Control Room. "Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, you have a go," Makepeace said. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Daniel turned, walking up the ramp and through the Gate. Teal'c inclined his head to the Control Room, then turned and followed Daniel through the Gate.

"-a lot happier when we have a MALP that can handle stairs," Ferretti was saying as Daniel and Teal'c emerged from the Gate.

Tobias tilted her head. "Well, sir, we could maybe-"

"Ack." Ferretti held up a hand. "Engineer later, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir."

"You ready, Daniel?

"Yes, Lou." Daniel gestured toward the exit from the pyramid as the Gate shut down behind them. "Lead-"

A woman's figure had appeared in the doorway, backlit by the Abydonian sun. "Sha're," Daniel breathed as the figure moved forward into the pyramid.

Amaunet paused at the top of the stairs and smiled, her eyes flaring. "Hello, Daniel."


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the dialogue in this chapter has been taken from the transcript for episode 2.09 "Secrets" on the Stargate Wiki. (http://www.stargate-sg1-solutions.com/wiki/2.09_%22Secrets%22_Transcript)

"Ask me to navigate across a galaxy, no problem. Washington, DC, however..." Jack shook his head.

Sam laughed. "Don't worry, sir, these are my old stomping grounds."

"Sorry to hear that." Jack looked over at Sam. "West transferred you out here, didn't he?"

"Yes, sir. About a month, month-and-a-half before the first Abydos mission. I'd been on Project Giza for a little over two years at that point."

"I can see why you were a bit upset."

Sam winced. "Sorry again, sir." Jack waved off her apology. "And to be fair," she continued, "we were pretty much spinning our wheels at that point- General West was right about that. The team needed to be shaken up." Sam blew out a breath. "And we needed someone out here who understood the Stargate- well, as much as anyone understood it at that point. And Clare deserved that shot at OTS and Amanda-"

"And so on and so on until every female officer and airman who wasn't basically a secretary or a lunch lady had been transferred out," Jack interrupted. "And all for what were perfectly good, legitimate reasons- on the surface. As I said, I can see why you were a little upset."

Sam's mouth twisted in a wry smile. "Yes, sir. On the other hand, General West also got Catherine mad enough that she went out and found Daniel, so..."

"So... basically a wash, then?" Jack suggested.

"I suppose so, sir." Sam gestured to the building they were approaching, one of the many Greek Revival buildings that surrounded the National Mall. "This is it." The two officers walked up the steps and into the building.

"Never let it be said the Air Force doesn't know how to throw a party," Jack said as they descended a set of interior stairs into the building's atrium.

"General Hammond's already here, sir." Sam nodded toward where Hammond could be seen talking with another general, who had his back to them.

"The man knows how to work a room, Carter. Watch and learn. Punch?" Jack asked as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Thank you, sir." Sam stayed near the bottom of the stairs as Jack headed for a table off to one side where glasses of punch had been set out. Hammond noticed Sam and motioned her over.

The other general turned as she approached. "Hey, Sammie."

Sam halted. "Dad."

Hammond smiled. "I invited Jake myself, Captain. Thought you might enjoy the surprise."

"That's... really sweet of you," Sam stammered. "Sir. Really."

Jacob Carter shrugged. "Well, when George told me you were up for the Air Medal for your work in um, for your work-"

"Analysis of deep space radar telemetry, Dad."

"Right. That."

Jack approached, carrying two glasses of punch. "Carter?"

Sam accepted one of the glasses. "Thank you, sir."

"Jack O'Neill, my 2IC," Hammond said by way of introduction. "Jacob Carter."

Jack looked at Sam. "Carter. As in...?"

"My father. Yes, sir," Sam answered briskly.

"Get outta town. Carter's dad?" Jack said as the two men shook hands. "I've heard nothing about you, sir."

Jacob's mouth twisted in a wry smile as he glanced at his daughter. "I'm not surprised. What's there to say about an old general waiting to retire?"

"I retired myself one time," Jack replied. "Couldn't stay away."

Jacob's eyebrows rose. "From your analysis of deep space radar telemetry," he drawled. Sam shot her father a sharp look.

"Well, it's just so darn fascinating," Jack responded.

"I'm sure it is. Otherwise you wouldn't be receiving the Air Medal."

Jack shrugged. "We have our moments." He looked back and forth between Sam and her father. "Erm, if you'll excuse me, we just don't get out of the Mountain enough. I'm going to go grab some air. Outside. General. Captain. General." Jack nodded to each in turn before turning and leaving.

"I umm, I have some people I need to talk to." Hammond looked back and forth between father and daughter, all traces of his earlier smile gone from his face. "I'll just... let the two of you catch up." He turned and walked deeper into the crowd.

Jacob cleared his throat, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "Just ah, just between us, Sam, your cover stories could use a little polish."

"Cover stories? I have no idea what you're talking about, Dad." Sam took a sip of her punch.

Jacob shook his head. "No, you're right. That was out of line." He took another drink of his punch. "I had a little chat with Don Goldman."

"The Administrator of NASA?"

"I told him about how all you used to talk about, ever since you were a little girl, was being an astronaut. Then Challenger happened."

Sam looked down at the glass in her hand. "Yeah. That was..." She shook her head. "But-"

"Anyway," Jacob continued, "I called in a few markers, filled them in on your qualifications." He smiled. "You apply again as an Air Force nominee, and I'll think you'll find NASA supportive."

Sam snorted. "The waiting list's a mile long. At least."

"Not for you."

Sam blinked. "Dad, you can't do that."

"I just did."

"Without even talking to me first?" Sam asked, her voice rising.

"You're telling me you don't want this? It used to be all you ever talked about." Jacob glared at his daughter. "They know what you can offer the space program, Sam. They want you!"

"That's not the point!" Sam snapped. "The work I'm doing right now is very important to me."

"Damn it, you're as stubborn as your mother!" Jacob shot back. Sam stiffened, her nostrils flaring. "Can't you just-" Jacob cut himself off, shaking his head. "Look," he said quietly, his eyes on the glass in his hand, "you're the woman of the hour here. You should go... mingle." He looked up at his daughter. "I'll catch up with you after the ceremony."

Sam sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Dad, please. It's not-"

"Go. Mingle," Jacob ordered, making shooing motions with his free hand. "I was getting a little tired of the punch anyway." He set his glass on a nearby table and headed for the exit.

  
  


  
  


"I was beginning to worry you had forgotten us here, my Daniel," Amaunet purred as she descended the stairs.

"I am not 'your' anything," Daniel growled.

Amaunet gave Daniel a pitying smile as she reached the bottom of the stairs, then shifted her attention to Teal'c. "Do not doubt that your god will kill you, shol'va, slowly and painfully. But for now, he has other matters to attend to."

A dozen Jaffa rose from their hiding places surrounding the party. Amaunet raised her hand, displaying the ribbon device it bore with a mocking smile, and triggered its shield.

"Kree lo tak, Tau'ri," the lead Jaffa barked. "Put down your weapons."

Ferretti glared at the staff weapons aimed at them and then, reluctantly nodded. SG-2 unslung their P-90s, placed them on the ground and stepped back, keeping their hands in sight at all times.

Teal'c set his staff weapon on the ground at his feet. "Shak'ur-"

"Lord Apophis has decreed your death to be his and his alone, shol'va," the lead Jaffa interrupted. "I am quite prepared, however, to beg him for mercy. Step. Back." Blue lightning crackled at the muzzle of his staff weapon, punctuating his words.

Teal'c nodded and took a step back, out of easy reach of his staff weapon.

Shak'ur returned Teal'c's nod, the gold of the stylized twin feathers inscribed upon his forehead glinting in the light. "Search them," he ordered. His aim remained fixed on Teal'c.

Two Jaffa set down their weapons and climbed down to the floor of the pyramid. They searched the party, removing Daniel's Beretta as well as several other weapons from SG-2 before piling everything, including the P-90s and Teal'c's staff weapon, by the DHD.

As the Jaffa searched the party, Amaunet moved among them, stopping in front of Ferretti. "You are the one called Lou, are you not?"

Ferretti nodded sharply. "I am."

Amaunet looked about. "Where are O'Neill, and the woman? Or is this one," she turned to Tobias, grasping the other woman's chin in her hand, "her replacement in your bed, my Daniel?"

Tobias glared at the other woman. "I have a boyfriend already, and I would much prefer his bed to Dr. Jackson's. No offense, sir," she added, her eyes never leaving Amaunet's.

"None ah, none taken, Lieutenant."

"My Queen," Shak'ur interrupted. "The hour grows late."

"So it does." Amaunet released Tobias, then turned and walked up the stairs. "Bring them."

Shak'ur gestured for the party to follow Amaunet. Ferretti moved closer to Daniel as they complied. "What was all that about?" he murmured.

"Not a clue," Daniel muttered back. "But," he turned slightly to address Teal'c on his other side, "this Shak'ur looks an awful lot like-"

"Shak'l was his brother," Teal'c answered, equally quietly.

"Silence!" Shak'ur barked.

"Wonderful."

  
  


  
  


"Ah, Carter?" Jack said. "A moment?"

"It was nice to finally meet you, Doctor," Sam said to the dark-haired woman she'd been speaking with.

"You as well, Captain. I'm sure we'll talk again."

"Sir?" Sam asked as she set her glass on a nearby table and followed Jack from the party.

"We have a leak," Jack said as they walked.

"How bad?"

"Reporter. Knew about the program, knew my name, knew to find me here, had a tape of us talking on the way in."

"That's bad."

"Ya think?" Jack looked over at Sam. "Carter. That woman you were talking to-"

"Doctor Weir? She approached me, sir," Sam answered. "Neither of us said a word concerning negotiations of any sort."

Jack frowned. "Still, better safe than sorry," he said, before opening a door and ushering Sam through.

Hammond looked up as they entered. "Has the Colonel filled you in, Captain?"

Sam nodded. "Yes, sir. Do we know the source of the leak?"

Hammond shook his head. "Not yet."

"I find it hard to believe it's one of our people," Sam said. "Everyone who works in the mountain knows how important our work is."

Jack grimaced. "Plenty in the know who don't work in the mountain."

"You think it's political, Colonel?" Hammond asked.

"Seems like there's always a dozen or more sycophants hanging around Kinsey at least," Jack said. "Don't know about any of the others."

"Civilians sign non-disclosure statements," Hammond said. "Technically that makes them liable to prosecution under the Espionage Act."

"Something about horses and barn doors comes to mind, sir," Jack responded.

"Well from the sound of it, the door may be open but the horse hasn't left the barn yet," Hammond said. "There's some time left before the ceremony, Colonel. I'd like to know what this reporter knows before he goes to print. Do you know where to find him?"

"I'll let him find me, sir."

Hammond nodded. "I'll make some phone calls. Captain, I'm afraid you're going to have to hold down the fort on your own here for a while."

"Understood, sir."

"Dismissed."

  
  


  
  


They emerged from the pyramid to find Klorel waiting, along with another half-dozen or so Jaffa. Kasuf and several other men who Daniel recognized as the heads of the most prominent families of Nagada were on their knees in the sand, their hands bound behind their backs. A large crowd stood watching from some distance away, wary of the weapons of the Jaffa. "Where is O'Neill?" Klorel demanded.

"He did not come, this time," Amaunet answered. "Still, these are enough."

"For you perhaps," Klorel answered petulantly. He started to turn away, then staggered slightly before recovering with a shake of his head, his eyes flaring.

Daniel smirked. "Skaara giving you some troub-"

A hard blow on the back of his legs drove Daniel to his knees. "I will not be so gentle next time, Tau'ri," Shak'ur warned, one hand pressing down on Daniel's shoulder. "The rest of you, on your knees."

Teal'c and SG-2 stood unmoving. "Sir?" Tobias asked.

Ferretti caught Shak'ur's eye. "Do it." SG-2 and Teal'c knelt as one. Once his men had finished binding the Tau'ri, Shak'ur nodded slightly, breaking eye contact with Ferretti, and removed his hand from Daniel's shoulder.

Klorel stood in front of the prisoners, flanked by a Jaffa to either side. "You of Abydos were fools to ever-" The two Jaffa suddenly grasped Klorel's arms and forced him to his knees. "What are you- Unhand me!"

"Be silent." Amaunet stalked forward to stand in front of Klorel. At her nod, the two Jaffa released him and stepped away. Amaunet cupped Klorel's cheek with one hand. "Those who would be gods, my son," she said softly, "must be strong."

Klorel's face fell. "Mother, please-"

Amaunet shook her head. "Your father and I had hoped you would grow in strength, but even now you can just barely control your host."

Klorel glanced wildly about. "Jaffa! I will reward you-"

"Hush," Amaunet soothed, stroking his face tenderly. "The fault is ours, not yours. We were... unwise in our choice of first host for a newborn Goa'uld."

Klorel relaxed slightly. "You did not err, Mother. I will master this host in time."

Amaunet smiled sadly, her hand still on Klorel's cheek as she moved to stand behind his kneeling figure. "You will not, my son." Klorel stiffened once more, but Amaunet had already grasped him firmly. In a voice pitched to carry to the distant crowd, she declared: "Witness now the penalty for failure!" and with a single, convulsive movement, snapped both the host's neck and the symbiote's spine.

Amaunet gently lowered the corpse to the ground. She knelt, placing the hand with the ribbon device against its forehead and bowed her head, remaining like that for a long moment before rising to her feet and turning to face the crowd. "People of Abydos," she declaimed, "you see now the penalty a god must suffer for failing the great Apophis. How much worse must the punishment be for those mortals who have foolishly turned against the gods?" She indicated the two Jaffa to either side of her. "These servants know that to lay violent hands upon a god is death and yet, they have done so." Amaunet turned her gaze first to one Jaffa, then the other. "How will you expiate your sin?" she demanded.

"Thus we atone, Great Queen," the two Jaffa chorused. As one, they braced the butt ends of their staff weapons in the sand, placed the muzzles under their chins, and triggered the weapons.

Amaunet's shield flared as bits of bone and brain matter spattered the kneeling prisoners. The two Jaffa corpses crumpled to the ground. "People of Abydos," she declaimed, "ask of yourselves: How shall we atone for our sins, before Apophis' inevitable coming?" She turned away and went over to where Kasuf was staring in horror at the corpse that had once been his son. Grasping his jaw, Amaunet wrenched his gaze up to meet hers. "This offal is useless to us, old man. Dispose of it how you will. And then, think very, very carefully as to where the loyalty of your people should lie."

Amaunet released Kasuf and moved over to Daniel. She bent down to caress his cheek. "Daniel. My sweet, sweet Dan-"

Daniel jerked his head away. "Sha're has the right to call me hers," he snarled. "Not some filthy parasite who stole her-"

Amaunet threaded her fingers through the hair on the back of Daniel's head and brought his mouth up to meet hers in a hard, bruising kiss. She released him and stepped back, smiling at his outraged glare. "Until next time, my Daniel." A set of transport rings sprang up from the sand and Amaunet disappeared in a flash of light.

A hard blow to his back sent Daniel sprawling on his face. His bound hands were lifted, and the rope between them cut. Spitting sand from his mouth, Daniel looked up to see Shak'ur standing over him, replacing the dagger in his belt. "My Queen has ordered you released unharmed. This time." Turning away, he beckoned for his men to follow. Bearing the two headless bodies of their fellow Jaffa, as well as their staff weapons, the Jaffa marched back into the pyramid.

 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the dialogue in this chapter has been taken from the transcript for episode 2.09 "Secrets" on the Stargate Wiki.  
> ( http://www.stargate-sg1-solutions.com/wiki/2.09_%22Secrets%22_Transcript )

"Dad?" Sam let the door close behind her. "I've been looking all over for you."

Jacob looked up as Sam joined him by the window. "You must be disappointed. Any idea why the President canceled?"

"Colonel O'Neill witnessed an accident- a hit-and-run. The President couldn't adjust his schedule."

"Bad?"

"Fatal." Sam hesitated, then added, "He was a reporter, apparently."

Jacob shot her a sharp look, then shook his head, his eyes returning to the cityscape outside the window.

Sam looked out the window as well. "General Hammond's going to present us with our medals at a private ceremony. Back at the base."

Jacob shrugged. "Well, it's the honor that matters, whether I can be there or not."

Sam turned to look at her father. "Dad-"

"I have cancer, Sam."

"What?"

"Lymphoma."

"That's- That's bad."

Jacob turned and smiled wryly at his daughter. "Well, it's not exactly good. But it could be worse. Don't you worry, I'll still be around for a while."

"God, Dad-"

A sharp rap sounded and the door opened. "Jake, sorry to interrupt but I need Captain Carter," Hammond said. He turned to Sam, who had automatically straightened to attention. "Doctor Jackson's ah, field trip ran into a bit of trouble. We-"

Sam visibly swayed, her eyes widening and her face going pale. "Were there- Were there any injuries, sir?"

Hammond shook his head. "Everyone's fine, Captain," he answered, exchanging a poorly concealed look of mingled confusion and concern with Jacob, "but we need to get back to the Mountain ASAP. Colonel O'Neill will meet us at Andrews."

Sam drew in a deep breath and nodded crisply. "Yes, sir." She turned to Jacob. "Dad, I-"

Jacob held up a hand. "I won't ask. Duty calls and all that. Just... think about that offer, will ya, kid?"

Sam took a step forward and caught her father in a fierce hug. Jacob froze for a moment, then his arms came up to return Sam's hug. "Call Mark back," she said huskily as she pulled away.

"He told you I called, huh?"

Sam nodded. "He should hear about- about... He should hear about it from you, Dad, not me. And definitely not from some answering machine."

Jacob nodded. "All right. Take care of yourself out there, Sammie."

"You too, Dad." Sam turned and joined General Hammond, who had stepped out into the corridor. "Thank you, sir," she said as they started down the hallway.

Hammond nodded. "I couldn't help but overhear- your father and Mark are back on speaking terms?"

"Not entirely, sir," Sam answered, pressing the elevator call button. "Answering machine."

"Ah." Hammond nodded again. "Still-"

"Yes, sir," Sam said quickly as they stepped into the elevator.

Hammond looked over at Sam as the doors closed. "Was there anything else, Captain? You seemed... unduly distressed, earlier."

Sam stiffened to attention. "Nothing that will affect the performance of my duties, sir."

Hammond's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he examined his junior officer. "I will hold you to that, Captain," he said finally.

"Understood, sir."

They rode the rest of the way down in silence to the secured garage below.

  
  


  
  


"That was... less than wise, sister."

"Enough, Hathor," Amaunet growled as she stepped down from the ring platform. "I am in no mood."

"The trap itself was cleverly laid, I'll grant," Hathor continued, "but to have not only the shol'va but several of the accursed Tau'ri in your power and then- to simply let them go, well, one has to wonder..." Hathor's voice trailed off as a slow smile spread across her face. "Oh of course," she laughed. "Daniel Jackson does have his charms, but will Apophis be so willing to take your host's lover as his host a second-"

"I said, enough!" Amaunet raised her hand, the jewel in the center of her palm glowing scarlet as a beam of invisible force picked Hathor up and threw her against a bulkhead. Amaunet strode over to Hathor's crumpled form and grasped a handful of the other woman's hair, pulling her up to her knees. "Do you need another reminder of who is Senior Queen now, sister?" she snarled. "For there is still much of that generous hospitality you and that bitch Egeria showed me that I would most enjoy returning to you."

Hathor glared up at Amaunet, then dropped her eyes. "No, Senior Queen," she ground out through gritted teeth. "I will obey."

"Yes, you will." Amaunet released Hathor with a shove and stalked away.

"Letting them go was still foolish," Hathor growled as she rose to her feet. "Senior Queen."

Amaunet paused, turning back to look at Hathor. "As foolish as believing one's position as Consort to be so secure, one does not notice one's fellow consort whispering in their shared husband's ear, until the sarcophagus lid has closed upon one? As foolish as that?" Amaunet shook her head. "Overconfidence has always been your weakness, sister. However misguided she proved otherwise, Egeria was certainly clever enough in that regard."

Hathor flushed angrily. "As an excess of caution has always been yours, sister," she shot back, "else you would have been Consort to the Supreme System Lord, rather than having to settle for the lesser brother. As for Egeria's cleverness- where is she now? And why are her children hunted fugitives, rather than the rulers of the galaxy?"

Amaunet smiled wryly. "Oh I will freely admit you gained the higher-ranking brother. But as for the better... Where is your husband- and your realm- now, O Mother of Pharaohs?" Amaunet gave Hathor a mocking bow, then turned on her heel and swept from the compartment.

  
  


  
  


Kasuf did not turn his head as the other man settled onto the sand beside him. "O'Neill."

"Kasuf."

The two men sat, staring out across the desert.

"Did Daniel," Jack said slowly, breaking the silence, "ever tell you about my son, Charlie?"

"I did not know you were a father, O'Neill."

"Emphasis on the 'were'."

"Ah."

The two men continued to stare out across the desert.

  
  


  
  


Sam knelt in the sand. "Daniel?"

"He's right," Daniel said, not turning his head to look at her. "Messengers aren't supposed to stick around."

"Oh, Daniel, no-"

"If I'd just gone back thorough the Gate with Jack and the others, that first-"

"Daniel, stop."

"Widows have a surprising amount of autonomy in Abydonian society, compared with either wives or unmarried women," Daniel continued. "Which Sha're would have been, effectively, if-"

Sam moved to kneel directly in front of Daniel. "Stop," she repeated, taking his hands in hers. "Just... stop."

Daniel met her eyes then. "But-"

"But nothing. Do you really think it would have mattered to Apophis if Sha're was married or not? If she was wife or widow or- or- whatever? Or to Amaunet? Would they have cared that Skaara was-"

Daniel yanked his hands from hers. "The Gate would still have been buried!"

"You're sure of that?"

Daniel opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again and glared at Sam. "Damn you."

Sam smiled sadly as she rose to her feet. She held out her hands to Daniel. "We should get back."

Daniel allowed Sam to draw him to his feet. They walked back in silence, his hand in hers.

"I keep thinking: This is some sort of trick," Daniel said, looking over to where Kasuf and Jack sat cross-legged beside Skaara's shrouded body. "It has to be."

Sam shook her head. "No," she said gently. "It's not."

"G-" Kasuf cleared his throat. "Good son," he called. "Will you not come sit with he who was your brother?"

Daniel gave Sam's hand a grateful squeeze before pulling away. "Of course, good father."

Teal'c's eyebrow rose fractionally as Sam approached. "Captain Carter?"

"I think," Sam said slowly, turning to watch as Daniel settled on the sand beside Jack and Kasuf, "this was- in a way- a mercy killing."

  
  


  
  


Apophis turned as the door opened.

"It is done, my lord," Amaunet said quietly. Apophis said nothing, merely opened his arms, and she crossed the room into his embrace.

"Shh, my love, my queen. Shh," he soothed, stroking her hair. "If I could have taken this from you-"

Amaunet drew back, shaking her head fiercely. "I am Queen. The duty is mine."

Apophis touched Amaunet's cheek. "Far kinder a quick death now," he said gently, "than forced to live as the piteous Tok'ra must."

Amaunet smiled sadly as she laid her head back on Apophis' chest. "Tell me, my love- how fare our other children?"

 


	22. Chapter 22

"The twin plumes, or feathers, is a mark traditionally associated with the god Amun," Daniel stated, not looking up from the notes in front of him. "The feminine form of which is Amaunet. In fact, since Amaunet is only ever mentioned in conjunction with Amun as his consort, many Egyptian scholars doubt that she had an independent existence, suggesting that she was merely the feminine aspect of Amun."

"Oh, I think it's safe to say she exists," Ferretti commented wryly. SG-1 and SG-2, along with General Hammond, were seated around the conference table for a preliminary debriefing about the events on Abydos.

"I know of no System Lord or Goa'uld by the name of Amun, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c responded.

"I can vaguely recall Gerim mentioning the name," Sam added. "Or something like it maybe, but-" She blinked at the wary expressions on the faces of SG-2, then noticeably did not sigh. "I remember Jolinar remembering," she elaborated. "Kind of. It's complicated."

"Gerim?" Jack asked mildly, shooting Ferretti a sharp look as he spoke.

"Aldwin's symbiote, sir," Sam answered. "He's, well, he's kind of shy, which is why you guys didn't meet him, but he specializes in the early history of the System Lords. Pre-Ra."

Daniel looked up. "Really?"

"Later, Daniel," Jack admonished gently. "So... probably not anyone we need to worry about then."

"Probably not, sir."

Maxwell raised his hand. "Actually, sirs, there is one thing that um, that I'm confused by. I thought- well the briefing I remember said that a Queen's Prime would have the same mark as the rest of the System Lord's Jaffa, only in gold inset with alabaster."

Teal'c and Daniel both shifted in their seats, then Daniel settled back, deferring to Teal'c, who inclined his head, then turned slightly to address Maxwell. "In most cases that is so, Sergeant Maxwell. Amaunet, however, is one of the Great Queens, a Goa'uld Queen who holds significant power and territory in her own right, and not merely as the consort of a System Lord. Therefore, her Prime, and her Jaffa, bear her mark." Teal'c hesitated, then continued, "While the Queen's Prime is subordinate to the First Prime, and the number of Amaunet's Jaffa severely limited in comparison to Apophis', amounting to little more than a ceremonial guard, Shak'ur must be considered Amaunet's First Prime in all but name."

"So... subordinate, but not all that subordinate," Jack commented.

Teal'c nodded. "Both Master Bra'tac and myself thought it advisable to request cooperation from Shak'ur's predecessors, rather than attempting to enforce compliance."

"And how many of these Great Queens are there?"

"I believe there are three at this time, O'Neill."

"There might be four now, sir," Sam interjected. "I'm pretty sure Hathor was one too."

Daniel blinked and adjusted his glasses. "Wouldn't ah, wouldn't the planets she controlled have been taken over by other Goa'uld by now?"

"Ra would have taken them," Sam answered. "Now that he's dead, and the rest of the System Lords are all trying to grab as much of his former territory as they can, who knows who controls which planet? But I'm pretty confident she would have made multiple contingency plans, hidden what she might need on a variety of worlds."

"Until we have more information, anything we come up with would be pure speculation," Hammond interjected. "Now, do we have any thoughts on why Amaunet," Hammond hesitated slightly, "choose to do this, and in this manner?"

"I have no idea why she chose to do it on Abydos, General," Sam answered slowly, breaking the silence. "Or publicly at all, for that matter, but, I think, killing Klorel was a kind of- of euthanasia. Sir."

"You think this was what, Captain?" Jack snapped.

"Euthanasia, sir," Sam repeated. "Mercy killing, a-"

"I know what the word means, Carter," Jack growled.

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

"Perhaps, Captain, you could explain your reasoning," Hammond suggested. "Because to be honest, I'm not following you either."

"Yes, sir," Sam repeated. She drew in a breath, looking around the conference table as she did. The others looked back at her with expressions that revealed various mixtures of curiosity and anger. "When a Goa'uld prim'ta," she began slowly, "metamorphosizes into an adult and begins to seek a host it knows- unequivocally and without a doubt knows- that its new host is a violent, savage animal, and that unless it immediately gains utter and complete control of its host, the host will kill it."

"Ya think the whole 'enslave the host' thing might just have a little something to do with that?" Jack asked.

Sam shook her head. "It's a part of the Goa'uld genetic memory, sir, something every Goa'uld knows before it ever takes a host." She hesitated, then continued, "And when a host is taken, violently and by surprise, the host will fight, and threaten to kill it, to rip it out of her head and dance a jig upon h- its corpse."

Sam cleared her throat. "As a consequence," she continued, "the Goa'uld know- not just believe, but know- that they must be strong enough to completely control their hosts, to dominate them utterly, or they will die." She looked over at Daniel. "That Skaara was still able to actively resist Klorel, even after over a year, meant that Klorel would probably never have been able to gain complete and unequivocal control of his host. And that, for any Goa'uld, but most particularly for a favored child of a major System Lord and one of the Great Queens, is unacceptable."

Daniel frowned. "So any compromise- the very idea of compromise- between a- a- symbiote and its host, that's-"

"Utter and complete anathema to the Goa'uld," Sam stated.

"But surely- I mean, the Tok'ra have the same genetic memory after all, and-"

Sam shook her head. "Egeria was able to um, edit the genetic memories she passed on to her children. That's one of the main differences between the Tok'ra and the Goa'uld; the Tok'ra lack that- that inborn, well frankly, fear, if not outright loathing, of their hosts. There have been a few rare- very rare- exceptions," she continued, "but for an overwhelming majority of Goa'uld, any compromise with their hosts- much less cooperation- is- is unthinkable. Literally."

Daniel rubbed his jaw with one hand. "But the Tok'ra- they do cooperate with their hosts, right?" Sam nodded. "So with that rather obvious example to the contrary," Daniel continued, "why-"

"Well obviously, Daniel, the Tok'ra are either lying, insane, or filled with an intense self-loathing," Sam interrupted dryly. "Or possibly all three. It's the only answer that makes any kind of sense."

Daniel tilted his head. "Unthinkable," he repeated slowly. "Literally... unthinkable."

Sam nodded. "Either you're the master, or you're the slave."

Daniel's mouth twisted in a rueful smile. "No other options, are there?" Sam shook her head.

"Captain, I want you to write up a report for distribution on the psychology of the Tok'ra versus that of the Goa'uld, and have it on my desk by the end of the week," Hammond ordered. "I realize it's nowhere near your field, and you're working with limited data, but right now you're the closest thing to an expert we've got."

Sam nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Moving on," Hammond continued, "what could this mean for relations with the Abydonians, going forward?"

Daniel grimaced. "I don't foresee Kasuf repudiating Earth or anything like that, General. That's not who he is. But," Daniel continued, "he's also one, not particularly young, man, and the knowledge I have of Abydonian politics is a year- more than a year- out of date. I'd have to go back and talk with some people before I could give you any sort of answer."

Hammond nodded. "Thank you, Doctor."

Tobias leaned forward. "With respect, sirs, but do we want to continue relations with Abydos?" She held up a hand. "I'm not saying I like the idea of giving anybody up to the Goa'uld but really, we just barely escaped planetary destruction ourselves. Or worse."

"They're our allies, Lieutenant," Ferretti snapped.

"I know, sir," Tobias answered. "Maybe a better question would be, can we afford to? The Abydonians have no advanced technology, and as I understand it the naquadah mines are pretty much played out."

"Naquadah isn't the only element Earth needs, Lieutenant," Sam returned in a cool, clipped voice. "Even if it were, our mining techniques are exponentially more efficient than Goa'uld slave labor. Personally, until we can do even a basic mineralogical survey, I'm not prepared to say anything about the state of Abydos' naquadah mines. Or any other mines, for that matter."

"Abydos is the site of the first great victory of the Tau'ri against the Goa'uld, Lieutenant Tobias," Teal'c said. "To lose it in battle would be most unfortunate, but to meekly surrender it would serve no other purpose beyond emboldening the Goa'uld in their arrogance and contempt."

"I think at this time, our best course of action is to take a break and give everyone a chance to write up their reports" Hammond announced. "See Major Todeshi to schedule your individual debriefings; we'll continue this after." He stood, bringing the military contingent to their feet as well. "Dismissed."

  
  


  
  


Jack raised his glass. "To Armin, slinging ink in that big newsroom in the sky."

Daniel and Ferretti raised their glasses. "To Armin," they chorused, and the three men drank.

"To Bert Samuels," Jack continued. "An annoying little weasel who didn't deserve to wear the uniform, but didn't deserve to die that way either."

"To Colonel Samuels."

"Colonel Samuels." The three men raised their glasses again and drank.

"And to-"

"Wait, wait, hold on, Jack," Daniel interrupted as he rose, a bit unsteadily, to his feet. "Hold on, I've got- hold on." He turned and disappeared into Jack's house. Jack and Ferretti looked at each other, then both men shrugged.

"Any word on his wife and kids, sir?" Ferretti asked.

"Hammond said he was going to try to make sure they received full benefits," Jack answered.

"Why wouldn't they?" Daniel asked from the doorway.

Ferretti eyed the jug in Daniel's hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

Daniel lifted the jug slightly in confirmation. "Can you think of anything better to toast him with?"

"Okay, the two of you are definitely staying here tonight."

"That's why we brought our toothbrushes and a change of clothes, Jack," Daniel replied as he sat back down, placing the jug between his feet. A few quick swallows drained the remaining beer in his glass. "Again, why wouldn't Samuels' family get his um, his pension. Or whatever the military calls it."

"Because he was under arrest for multiple felonies at the time of his death," Jack answered, holding out his empty glass.

Daniel uncorked the jug and poured. "That doesn't exactly seem fair. I mean, they didn't do anything, right?"

Jack shrugged. "If he'd been convicted and dismissed from the service, they would have lost everything anyway."

Daniel poured for Ferretti and himself. "But he wasn't convicted. He died first."

"Which is why it's now in the hands of the bureaucrats at the VA." Jack hesitated, then continued. "The younger boy is special needs; his wife had been staying home to take care of the kid."

Daniel frowned. "Why would Samuels take a risk like-"

"That's what a lot of people would like to know, Daniel," Jack interrupted. "But that's not why we're here." He raised the glass in his hand. "To Skaara!"

"To Skaara!"

"To Skaara!"

"Smooth as ever," Jack rasped.

Ferretti pounded his fist against his chest. "Has this stuff gotten stronger?" he wheezed.

Daniel smirked, holding up the jug. The two officers looked at him with narrowed eyes, then held out their glasses. Daniel refilled them, and his own, then settled back in his chair with a slight chuckle. "Did I- Did I ever tell you guys about the time Skaara and I had to take part of the herd to the market at Tjeku?"


	23. Chapter 23

"I-" Sam hesitated briefly, then continued. "I just wanted to thank you, Doctor. Through all of this, you've had the courtesy to treat me as though I were simply another patient, rather than a- a spy, or some sort of Manchurian Candidate-type ticking time bomb you had to ferret out."

James MacKenzie looked over the tops of his reading glasses. "You are my patient, Captain. My job is to evaluate your continued psychological fitness for duty, and to give General Hammond my recommendation on that matter and that matter only. The... preconceived judgments of other individuals are none of my concern. Now," he continued, one corner of his mouth lifting in a slight smile, "why do I get the feeling you're about to tell me something you think I won't like?"

Sam smiled back ruefully. "Because the approach you've been taking with me- the way you've been treating me is... incorrect."

"I see," MacKenzie returned neutrally. "And what is the approach I've been taking with you, Captain?"

"You've been treating me as a victim," Sam answered levelly. "More specifically, a rape victim. A survivor of sexual assault." She held up a hand. "I'm not saying that's not a good analogy, Doctor. For someone like Sha're, or Skaara, it probably is. But-" Sam shook her head. "Maybe if Jolinar and I hadn't been blended, I might feel more that way. But I don't. I can't."

"You've mentioned before that there's more to this blending process than just a simple exchange of information, of memories."

"Much more," Sam answered. "Jolinar was- was like an addict who fell off the wagon, is the best analogy I can come up with. And when she, sobered up, as it were, she was horrified at what she'd done. And... deeply ashamed."

"She told you this. While you were blended."

Sam shook her head. "She didn't have to. I felt it, the same way she could feel my- my emotions about... everything. W- The Tok'ra, host and symbiote both, feel as one. As I said, maybe if we hadn't been blended, I'd feel differently. But we were, and..." Sam spread her hands. "I told Jolinar I might very well have done the same thing, had our positions been reversed."

"And do you still feel that way?"

"Yes."

"Hmm." MacKenzie pulled his glasses off and bit down absent-mindedly on the tip of one arm. Toothmarks on both tips showed this was not an unusual occurrence. "I'll be honest with you, Captain," he said, pulling the glasses from his lips. "I'm not so certain I could be as forgiving, were I in your position. I'm not saying that you're wrong, just-" He shook his head. "In any event, while I think this is something we might want to explore in our next session, that's all the time we have for today."

Sam stood. "Then I guess I'll see you next session, Doctor."

"Until next time, Captain." Once Sam had left, MacKenzie sat quietly, staring off into space as he absent-mindedly chewed on his glasses.

  
  


  
  


"Even if we were sleeping together, why the hell would Amaunet even care?"

Sam blinked. "Daniel? What-"

"Is it- the thought that I'm- that I could be- sleeping with you or- or hell, anyone for that matter- is that- Is it something she's using to- to torture Sha're with? Some kind of sick mental game that- that- um, why does it smell like a bakery in here?"

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked as she closed her front door. "I thought you were going back to Abydos tonight. And wait, sleeping together? Us? Says who?"

Daniel blinked. "Oh, um, right. You ah, you weren't there for that part. And um, well, it's the hottest part of the day on Abydos right now. No point until it cools down and everyone starts moving again in a couple hours."

"Sit," Sam ordered, pointing to her couch with one rubber-gloved hand. She looked at the scrub brush she had been holding the entire time with a faint expression of surprise. "Right. I um, I was just doing a little cleaning up when you, um- I'll be right back." She turned and headed down her hallway.

Daniel circled Sam's coffee table to perch on one end of the couch. Several photo albums lay open on the table. Daniel leaned forward to examine the closest one. It showed a grinning Sam, dressed in civilian clothes, with her arm across the shoulders of a tall, slightly balding man with hair a few shades darker than Sam's and a matching grin. His arm was across Sam's shoulders as well and he wore what was obviously a dress uniform of some sort, although not one that Daniel recognized.

"My brother, Mark," Sam said from behind him. "He lives out near San Diego with his partner Tracy and their kids." She circled the couch and sat down on the opposite end. "Mark's a firefighter with the CDF, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection," she explained. "He was awarded the California Medal of Valor for rescuing a pair of campers who had managed to start a brush fire at the mouth of a box canyon. While they were in it." She reached out and closed the photo album Daniel had been looking at, then closed the others as well. "Now, what exactly are you talking about?"

Daniel told Sam about Amaunet's actions in the pyramid. When he had finished, Sam shook her head. "Nothing of the host survives."

"Sam, we both know that's not true."

"No, but it's a lot, well, simpler for a Goa'uld to repress their host completely, rather than having to deal with a constant, ongoing fight for control."

"Then what's going on?"

"I don't know, but-" Sam sighed. "I guess there's no easy way to ask this. Was Sha're a- Did she get... jealous? A lot?"

Daniel glared at Sam. "Sha're had absolutely no reason to be jealous. Of anyone."

"That's not what I asked, Daniel."

Daniel's shoulders slumped. "Not... often," he admitted quietly. "But, sometimes, she-" Daniel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Sha're'd had- We'd had- a couple of- of miscarriages, and, well-" Daniel looked down at his hands. "Her mother, from what I understand, had a great deal of- of trouble as well. Several miscarriages, almost dying when Sha're was born. She did die, after Skaara." Daniel shook his head. "Abydonian law allows a man to- to 'put aside' an infertile wife. Nobody said anything, at least not directly, but- They might not have a clue about DNA, but they're herders. They understand the concept of inherited traits." He looked up at Sam. "I told her I would never- I could never- and she'd believe me- she'd say she believed me- and everything would be fine, for a while, and then, she would- would misinterpret something- a look, a gesture..." Daniel's voice trailed off.

"Oh Daniel." Sam's voice was soft with sympathy. "It was her fear talking, not her love for you."

Daniel smiled wanly. "I know. It's the reason, I think, that she- she kissed me like that. In front of everyone, that first-"

"I know," Sam interrupted softly. She smiled slightly at Daniel's raised eyebrows. "She was looking straight at me as she um, climbed off of you."

Daniel sighed. "You noticed, huh?" He leaned back into the couch. "So... Sha're's emotions are somehow ah, affecting Amaunet?"

"Not on a conscious level, no," Sam answered. "But subconsciously? Given the- the necessary linkages between host and Goa'uld, especially a Goa'uld Queen? Yeah, it's a possibility."

Daniel leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. "There's more to it than just that, isn't there? Amaunet's planning something."

"Probably," Sam agreed. "But what?" A loud buzzing sound came from Sam's kitchen, interrupting any reply Daniel might have made. "I'll be right back," Sam said as she stood and headed for her kitchen.

Moments later the buzzing sound cut off and Daniel could hear Sam moving around. He stood and followed her into the kitchen. Sam was pulling a tray full of cookies from her oven. Daniel's eyebrows rose as he spotted more cookies, a couple of pies, some loaves of bread and even a small cake on the various cooling racks, both purpose-made and improvised, that covered every flat surface in Sam's kitchen. "I um, I didn't know you baked. A lot."

Sam started, almost spilling the tray of cookies in her hand. "Daniel. I didn't hear you come in." She reached for a spatula with her free hand and began transferring cookies to the last open cooling rack. "I don't, usually. I mean, I never have the time or- or- I never have the time."

"It all smells wonderful, Sam."

"One cookie, Daniel."

"Of each?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Fine. One of each kind of cookie. But that's all. Got it?" she ordered, punctuating her words with a threatening shake of her spatula.

"Got it," Daniel mumbled around a mouthful of snickerdoodle. Swallowing hastily, he added, "This is really good, Sam."

"My mom taught me. She used to bake all the time."

Daniel tilted his head. "Used to?" he asked gently.

Sam drew in a breath. "She died when I was thirteen. Car accident."

"I'm sorry. Any um, any other family?"

"My brother and his family, of course," Sam answered, waving her spatula in the direction of the living room. "My dad. And a couple cousins who send cards at Christmas."

"What does your dad do?"

"He has cancer." Sam froze. "Go'tak," she breathed.

Daniel's eyes widened. "That's an... interesting career choice."

Sam shook her head. "That's not exactly what I meant to say." She turned to face Daniel. "This is the first time I've said that- that my dad has cancer. Out loud. To anyone."

Daniel blinked and adjusted his glasses. "When, um, when was he diagnosed?"

"I don't know," Sam answered, turning away again to place the still-hot baking tray on top of the stove to cool off. "He told me while we were in DC."

"Jesus, Sam." Daniel adjusted his glasses again. "If you- Is there anything- If there's anything you need-"

Sam gave a shaky laugh. "Know anyone who needs some baked goods?"

 


	24. Chapter 24

"Captain Carter. I trust the festival in celebration of your father's retirement went well?"

"Retirement ceremony, Teal'c," Daniel corrected absently, before looking up from the report he had been perusing. "Oh hey, Sam, welcome back. How'd things go?"

"Thanks, guys," Sam answered as she took her usual seat. "Beautiful weather and the ceremony went without a hitch as far as I could tell. And we... went to see Mark after. How was Abydos?"

Daniel's eyebrows rose slightly. Before she'd left, Sam had told him she was going to try to convince her father to join her for a quick visit to her brother's. "It's only a few hours away, after all," she had said. He gathered that the visit had perhaps not gone as well as she'd hoped. "I think I've managed to convince most of the headmen that sticking with the Tau'ri is a better bet, at least for now," he answered.

"So Carter," Jack said as he entered. "The boys at Edwards let you try out anything exciting?"

Sam shook her head. "Not this time, sir."

"Ah well." Jack shrugged as he took his seat. "Next stop on our tour of the trees of the galaxy, ladies and gentlemen, is the lovely planet of P- ah," Jack glanced down at the title of the briefing in front of him, "BP6-3Q1." He paused and looked to Sam. "BP?"

Sam grimaced. "New classification system, sir. Direct from the Pentagon."

"And improved?"

"So I'm told, sir."

"Great."

"Stay seated, SG-1," Hammond said as he entered. "Lieutenant Simmons has just called a hold on your mission."

SG-1 stiffened, all traces of their earlier levity wiped away. "What was the reason, General?" Jack asked.

"The Lieutenant should be here momentarily to ex- Ah, Lieutenant, come in."

"General," Graham Simmons responded. "Sirs. Ma'am." He moved over to the display screen on the wall. "This is from the MALP's motion-sensing camera, about an hour after the gate shut down." He triggered the display, which showed a portion of the plaza in front of BP6-3Q1's stargate. Beyond the low buildings lining the edge of the plaza, a number of taller buildings, including a few skyscrapers, were visible in the distance. Then a large, dragonfly-like creature flew across the camera's field of vision, followed by two more, then more following after those until the entire display was filled with the creatures flying past. "That continued for two minutes and nineteen seconds," Simmons reported.

Jack gave a low whistle. "We're going to need a bigger flyswatter."

"There's more, sir," Simmons answered, triggering the display once more. "About three hours or so after that, the ah, the bugs returned." On the screen, the swarm had begun to settle on various surfaces. Soon the buildings edging the plaza had been completely covered.

"Have they shown any signs of aggression?" Daniel asked.

"They attacked the UAV when we sent it through, sir," Simmons answered. "And kept attacking until we lost telemetry."

"That sounds like a sign of aggression to me," Jack commented.

"Like poking a hornets nest," Hammond agreed. "Lieutenant, continue to monitor the planet through the MALP for now; this might be just a seasonal infestation of some sort. In any event, let's see if we can at least recover our equipment without unduly endangering our personnel. Dismissed."

"Yes, sir." Simmons nodded crisply and departed.

"SG-1, consider your mission to BP6-3Q1 scrubbed." Hammond leaned forward in his chair. "Although to be honest," he continued, "I was considering taking you off this one in any event."

SG-1 exchanged glances. "General-"

Hammond held up a hand. "Negotiations with the Tok'ra, despite the decision not to involve members of this command due to ah, various factors-" Jack coughed, and if the cough sounded suspiciously like "bureaucratic infighting", Hammond chose not to notice, "-seem to be going well, after some initial delays. Well enough, in fact, that some representatives from the Tok'ra ah, High Council will be visiting the SGC. I'd prefer to have you, and especially Captain Carter, available for that."

Sam leaned forward. "Do we know who the representatives will be, General?"

"As I understand it, the details of who and when are still being finalized," Hammond answered. "I'll let you know as soon as the State Department sees fit to tell us."

Hammond had dismissed them shortly after that, and SG-1 had moved to Jack's office.

"Well the State Department might be a bunch of stuck-up weenies who wouldn't recognize a prime source of intel if it bit them on the... nose," Jack said as SG-1 took their usual seats, "but I'd like to think we're at least a little smarter than that. So, Carter, what do we need to know? Not that I'm recommending biting any bureaucrats," he added. "They taste bad. Or so I've heard."

Sam's lips twitched. "I'll keep that in mind, sir. First off, did everyone get a chance to read the briefing I put together on the Tok'ra?"

Daniel grimaced. "Uh, sorry Sam but I um, I actually haven't had the chance to do more than just skim it."

"Daniel! I am shocked at you."

"Oh can it, Jack."

"Cassandra Frasier has informed me of the Tau'ri educational practice known as the 'pop quiz'," Teal'c stated, looking directly at Jack as he spoke. "Would this be the appropriate time for such a practice to be invoked, Captain Carter?"

Jack's eyes grew wide. "Uh, Teal'c-"

Sam ducked her head in an attempt to hide her smile. "I'm ah, I'm sure Daniel will get a chance to read my report thoroughly before the Tok'ra representatives arrive, Teal'c."

"Indeed."

"Basically," Sam continued in a more serious tone, "while ending the tyranny of the Goa'uld is the entire purpose of the Tok'ra, they are far too few in number to attack the System Lords directly. Moreover, since the disappearance of Egeria several centuries ago, the Tok'ra have had no Queen to birth new symbiotes to replace those who have been killed."

"What about ah, converts, like Jolinar?" Daniel asked.

Sam shook her head. "Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot to begin with, and those who do convert are particularly hated by the Goa'uld, even more than those Tok'ra who ah, were born Tok'ra." She hesitated, then continued, "The System Lords offer a substantial bounty for the capture and delivery of any Tok'ra, but the bounty for a convert is much greater than the bounty for a born Tok'ra. Only High Council members and the Hverrtalamitlar have bounties as high. Or higher."

"And what of former Tok'ra hosts?" Teal'c asked.

"The bounty isn't quite as high," Sam answered. "In any event-"

"How high, Carter?" Jack asked.

"Sir, I don't think that's really imp-"

"How? High? Captain."

"A half million shesh'ta," Sam admitted. "To start."

"To start?"

"Yes, sir."

"How-" Jack shook his head. "Never mind. You were saying, Carter?"

"Yes, sir. Because of this, the Tok'ra work mainly in secret, as spies and agents provocateurs," Sam continued, "attempting to keep the Goa'uld divided and focused on their suspicions of each other, and will only openly attack in very, and I emphasize very, rare cases.

"The Tok'ra are led by the High Council. The two main ah, call them political parties, consist of a more active, interventionist faction led- hopefully still led- by Garshaw, which will probably support an alliance with Earth, and a more cautious, almost isolationist faction led by Delek, which is likely to oppose any alliance. Most of the High Council, and most Tok'ra in general, fall somewhere in between these two ends of the spectrum, and will support one side or the other as they feel circumstances warrant."

"This ah, this isolationist faction," Daniel interrupted. "Are they the um, the True-born that you were worried about?"

Sam shook her head. "No. Fortunately the True-born, at least those who openly espouse such views, are still few in number and scattered between different bases. At least, they were," she added. "I can't imagine they aren't trying to spin Jolinar's taking of me as a host as proof of their claims. Not to mention the revelation of Cordesh's treason."

Daniel tilted his head. "How-? Because Garshaw was in charge, they'll blame her," he realized. "Or more specifically her ah, what did you call it, her 'essentially Goa'uld nature'."

"Exactly," Sam nodded. "We do know she's had to step down as Supreme High Councilor."

"We do?" Jack asked.

"We do," Sam confirmed. "The Tok'ra negotiating team was chosen and sent by Per'sus in his capacity as Supreme High Councilor of the Tok'ra."

"So what's the story on this guy?" Jack asked.

"He's served as Supreme High Councilor at least once before," Sam answered. "But that was before Jolinar joined the Tok'ra, so I don't know any details. I do know that he's considered one of the more moderate councilors, and more or less trusted by both sides."

"If this alliance does go through, how much trouble are the more ah, isolationist councilors- and their followers- likely to be?" Daniel asked.

"They won't actively work against any alliance, once it's formed," Sam answered, "but they probably won't do anything beyond whatever is agreed to either. Or less, if they think they can get away with it."

"Sounds like politicians are all the same, whatever the species," Jack commented. "Anything else we need to know?"

"Probably, sir, but that's all the information I have."

"How fares Jolinar of Malkshur?" Teal'c asked.

"I... don't really know," Sam confessed. "The General has been kind enough to send my inquiries through the negotiating team, and we've been told she's doing fine, but..."

"But such assurances are a poor substitute for actual knowledge," Teal'c stated. Sam nodded.

"Well, maybe whoever the Tok'ra send as a representative will be able to ah, relay a message or something," Daniel offered.

Sam sighed. "I hope so."

  
  


  
  


"I'm beginning to think we might have misjudged Captain Carter," Lantash said.

Freya lifted her head. "How do you mean?"

"All this time, and not one message. Not even a note. Just a few inquiries after Jolinar's health, relayed through the Tau'ri negotiators."

"We don't know how many of the Tau'ri any message from Sam might have to go through before it reaches us," Freya argued. "Or what her superiors may infer. Vague, general inquiries may be all she feels safe to send."

_She did say her people would likely take some time to believe she was free of any undue influence from Jolinar,_ Martouf put in.

"Not that I don't share your concerns," Aldwin muttered, "but could we possibly discuss this some time when some of us aren't trying to sleep?"

_Yes, please,_ Anise grumbled.

Lantash turned to kiss the top of Aldwin's head. "You're right, love, I'm sorry. It's just-"

"Hmph," Aldwin grunted, snuggling into the other man's side. "Sleep. Now."

"We'll talk to Garshaw in the morning, see if she can convince Per'sus to appoint Martouf as one of the representatives going to the Tau'ri ah-"

_SGC,_ Anise supplied.

"-SGC," Freya finished, reaching across Lantash to caress Aldwin in silent apology. "But for now, love, just close your eyes and try to sleep."

"He should have been one of our negotiators from the beginning," Lantash grumbled, but closed his eyes as well.

_Our mate has a Tau'ri host, legally if not physically,_ Martouf pointed out. _In spite of, or perhaps because of, the ah, the circumstances of their joining, Delek and his allies would use that to raise questions about our judgment. Better a Tok'ra like Dha'mir, with no connection to the Tau'ri and a reputation for sober consideration, to take the lead in any negotiations._

  
  


  
  


Elizabeth Weir contemplated the liquid remaining in her glass. "I'm telling you, Sedge, I should have said no when Paul asked me to be a part of this 'significant and historically unprecedented' negotiation."

Sedgewick gave a soft woof.

"Oh don't get me wrong, knowing I'm on another planet, sitting at the table with actual, honest-to-God aliens is fascinating, but I can't help feeling I was doing more good in North Africa." She sighed. "Maybe if Paul had stayed on as military liaison things would be different, but I can't help feeling this Colonel Simmons has another agenda."

Sedgewick woofed again.

Weir gave her dog a wry smile. "I mean something beyond the military agenda Paul would have had, goofball." She took a drink from the glass in her hand. "I mean, Paul's the liaison to the SGC so that was at least some connection to the people on the ground but Simmons? Who did he work for before this? Which agency?"

Sedgewick clambered to his feet and barked loudly.

Weir set her glass down on the table and reached out to scritch behind Sedgewick's ears. "I'm sorry, Sedge, I shouldn't be getting upset. I should be glad I don't have enough seniority to be lead negotiator on this one, otherwise I'd be the one stuck getting wined and dined by some senator."

Sedgewick barked again, his tail wagging furiously.

"Hey, I'd bring you back something. Honest."

  
  


  
  


"You wanted to see me, General?"

"Good morning, Captain. Please, come in," Hammond said, gesturing toward the chairs in front of his desk. "Has your father gotten all moved in to his new apartment yet?" he asked as Sam sat.

"Pretty much, sir," Sam answered. "Although I'll admit, it's a little strange, having him here in town. I think this is the first time we've lived in the same city since I left for the Academy."

"How's he doing?"

"He says he's okay, sir." Sam smiled wryly. "Not that he'd admit it if he weren't."

"Maria was the same way, right up to the end. She was the one who took care of people, not the other way around."

Sam remembered the plump, dark-haired woman who had immediately boarded a plane and flown across an ocean to provide what comfort she could to the shocked and grieving family of the woman who had been one of her oldest and dearest friends. "I still miss her nopalito pie, sir."

"So do I," Hammond said softly. He shook his head. "But that's not why I called you in here, Captain. First off, we've heard back from the State Department; the Tok'ra representatives will be here in six days. I'm still waiting on the names."

Sam nodded. "Thank you for letting me know, sir."

"Beyond that," Hammond continued, "I received a phone call from Archie Crawford down at Randolph, asking about you."

Sam stiffened. Major General Archibald Crawford was the commander of the Air Force Personnel Center which, among other things, determined which of the many applications from active-duty personnel the Air Force would forward for review by NASA's Astronaut Candidate Program. "General, my apologies. It isn't from me. My- my father, he thinks- he thinks he's helping me with- I've asked him not to, but-"

Hammond held up a hand. "I've known Jake for some time, Captain. I rather thought that might be the case."

"Yes, sir."

"I also remember the little girl who bloodied the nose of a boy twice her size when he told her girls couldn't be astronauts."

Sam blushed. "Yes, sir."

"I'll talk to him if you'd like."

Sam shook her head. "I'm not sure that would make any difference, sir. Not unless he gets clearance on the Stargate, and I don't see that happening any time soon."

"Probably not," Hammond agreed. "Still, sometimes a fellow general can say things in a way a daughter can't."

Sam sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Thank you, General."


	25. Chapter 25

"Now to review: with the exception of certain specific bequests, your estate is to be divided, with half going to your daughter Samantha, and the other half to be divided between the children of your son Mark, with Samantha Carter acting as trustee until each child has reached the age of majority."

Jacob Carter nodded. "That sounds right."

"And does ah," the attorney glanced down at the document in front of him, "George Hammond remain willing to serve as executor of the estate?"

"He does," Jacob confirmed. His mouth ticked up in a one-sided smile. "Though he's probably going to have to find a new one for his. I'm ah, I'm named as executor in George's will," he explained.

"I see, sir," the attorney replied blandly. He straightened the document, squaring it with the edge of his desk. "I will have my staff draw up an updated copy for your final review and signature on Monday." He stood, bringing Jacob to his feet as well, and the two men shook hands. "Have a pleasant weekend, General."

  
  


  
  


"At least races like the Tollan or the Depreni have technology to offer instead," Jalrow argued. "The Tau'ri are still using crude projectile weapons for goodness sakes. With chemical propellants."

"Tau'ri weapons are less advanced," Sina admitted, "but I would hardly call them crude. For all their ah, simplicity, they do appear to be well-made. And effective."

Jalrow snorted. "A rock can be effective too. I'd still rather carry a zat'nik'tel."

"All I'm saying is that it would be a mistake to treat the Tau'ri like the ignorant, superstitious peasants we're used to dealing with," Sina argued. "I can't say more without the chance to examine their technology more closely, but everything we've seen so far: weapons, clothing, everything- appears to be mass-produced, and that argues for a fairly sophisticated industrial base."

"Even their common soldiers seem to be literate," Dha'mir added. "You all saw the ah, the paperback Sergeant McLaughlin lent me."

"Ink on paper," Ruhlnar scoffed. "And cheaply made, at that."

"Mass-produced," Dha'mir corrected. "And, despite the luridness of the cover, the interior pages were entirely filled with text. Printed text, not written."

"And, unlike the Tollan or the Depreni, the Tau'ri are at least willing to try taking the fight to the Goa'uld," Sina put in. "They have more to offer the Tok'ra than just potential hosts."

"But that's just the point," Jalrow argued. "They've shown absolutely no willingness to ever be hosts. Quite the opposite, in fact. And I'm not saying they haven't advanced since Ra, just that they haven't advanced enough."

_Even if they do forbid their people to be hosts, they are the First World, who once forced Ra to flee, and later slew him,_ Albras put in. _That alone makes this alliance worthwhile._

_Good point,_ Per'sus responded. "As Albras just pointed out, the Tau'ri are the First World, after all. Let's put the question of hosts aside for the time being, and focus on what can be done now, like making sure we don't lose anymore operatives through the actions of the Tau'ri. Yes," he continued, holding up his hand, "I am aware they were defending their planet, and consequently didn't have any other choice. That still doesn't bring Gunnal and Pedrene back." He shook his head. "In any event, perhaps we can use the time to show that what happened between Jolinar and ah-"

_Captain Carter_

"-Captain Carter was an aberration, and not how the Tok'ra truly are."

Sina scowled. "Garshaw was far too lenient with Jolinar."

_And yet, despite Jolinar's crime, Captain Carter did choose to remain her host,_ Joharah noted.

_Legal host,_ Sina shot back. _She's still in a tank._

_Nonetheless._

"Captain Carter has chosen to remain Jolinar's host," Dha'mir pointed out. "Legally, at least."

Sina smiled wryly. "Joharah just pretty much said the same thing."

"Technically, she has yet to accept or appeal the Vorash Base Council's judgment," Ruhlnar corrected, "and thus remains Jolinar's host only by default."

"If I recall correctly," Dha'mir responded, "Captain Carter asked to defer her answer."

Per'sus leaned back in his chair. "While I'll admit I'd feel more comfortable if we were able to speak with Captain Carter directly, her decision not to ask for Jolinar's immediate execution is an encouraging one. In the meantime," he continued, "we've just received confirmation: there is a second Queen at Apophis' court, and it is Hathor."

Jalrow rolled his eyes. "Something else we can thank the Tau'ri for."

Ruhlnar shook his head. "Apophis is one of the last System Lords I'd expect to have taken a second Queen. His devotion to Amaunet is... well-known, to say the least."

"Considering Hathor's reputation, I don't see her meekly accepting a position as junior Queen," Sina put in. "Or Amaunet allowing it, for that matter. Something else is going on here. If we still had an operative inside Apophis' court..." Sina shook her head, her voice trailing off. "Not a word," she added with a glare at Jalrow, who spread his hands in wide-eyed innocence.

"Moving on," Per'sus declared, "any new information on what happened to Zipacna and his court?"

Jalrow shook his head. "Plenty of rumors and accusations all around, but nothing solid. Even Sokar has proclaimed his innocence."

Ruhlnar snorted. "Because he knows damn well his fellow Goa'uld would suddenly find it worth the trouble to root him out if there was even a shred of evidence connecting him to this."

Per'sus frowned. "Considering Sokar's alliance with the Linvris is what got him banished in the first place, I don't think it was him. Even if he did betray the Linvris in the end, there's still a sizable minority who think he should have been executed instead. If it was him I'd have expected multiple, simultaneous attacks on some of the major System Lords like Yu or Apophis, or even Ba'al," he explained. "Enough to cause real chaos. Not just kill a second-ranker like Zipacna, and nothing else."

"Speaking of Ba'al, while he seems to have peeled off some of the lesser System Lords from their usual alliances," Jalrow continued, "the major factions remain more or less intact. Unless there's another attack, I don't see much changing." He shook his head. "Apophis' obsession with punishing the shol'va and revenging himself on the Tau'ri is probably going to have more of an impact. Perhaps enough to break up his faction if he keeps neglecting his allies."

Ruhlnar tilted his head. "Maybe. But Amaunet's also becoming more active in System Lord politics than she's been in centuries. I can easily see her taking Apophis' place."

"So where does Hathor fit in?" Sina asked.

"Could this have been simply an accident?" Dha'mir asked, breaking the silence that had fallen in the wake of Sina's question. "An old cache of the Linvris Venom Zipacna stumbled across without realizing?"

Per'sus shook his head. "Maybe. But there's been a few too many coincidences and odd events happening lately." The Supreme High Councilor of the Tok'ra smiled wryly at his trusted advisers. "Whatever happens, I have a feeling things are going to get... interesting."

  
  


  
  


The CEO of Alaraph Pharmaceuticals leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. "There is only so much we can learn by autopsying yet another dead Goa'uld, Colonel," James Lowery said evenly. "If the government wants results, we need a live symbiote for our experiments. Preferably more than one."

Maybourne grimaced. "I'll admit things haven't gone as well on that front as we'd hoped, but I'm confident-"

"Considering how badly the whole Carter situation was bungled," Kinsey snapped, "forgive me if I fail to share in your confidence."

"If the Senator will recall," Maybourne responded tightly, "the use of extralegal methods to obtain Captain Carter's Goa'uld was not recommended, precisely because the risk of heightened scrutiny would outweigh any temporary advantage that might have been gained."

"Gentlemen, please. I think we can all agree that the late Colonel Samuels' actions were ah, ill-advised at best," Lowery said, cutting off any response Kinsey might have made. "Moving on, our firms," Lowery gestured slightly, indicating the other company representatives seated around the conference table, "have already invested a substantial amount of capital with the government, and specifically, with the NID." He leaned forward. "An investment that has, so far, shown very little return."

"Properly equipping and training our new off-world teams has admittedly proven more costly than originally estimated," Maybourne answered, "not in the least due to certain ah, unexpected cuts in Congressional funding." Kinsey scowled at that but looked down at his folded hands, saying nothing. "Despite these setbacks," Maybourne continued, "we have already sent two teams through the Beta Gate at Groom Lake, and expect to begin full operations by the end of the month."

"I hope you do, Colonel," Lowery said evenly. "My Board of Directors is not particularly happy about having a debt-load this heavy on our books, especially since I can't give them any details that might make them complicit. And I doubt I'm the only one." Several of the other company representatives nodded in agreement. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you what will happen if my Board decides I'm merely throwing good money after bad."

Kinsey slammed his hand down on the table. "I do not believe you people," he snarled. "We- this nation- is facing an unGodly threat, one that despises our very way of life, and you're worried about your bottom lines? If the Goa'uld come again that will be the least of your worries."

"Save the speeches for the great unwashed, Senator," Lowery snapped. "Or do you think the masses will still vote for you without the campaign ads that tell their feeble minds what to think? Ads that are paid for out of those despised bottom lines?"

Kinsey glared at Lowery, then his face was wreathed in a sudden smile as he relaxed back into his chair. "Jim, you're right. We shouldn't be fighting. After all, the American people are depending on us, their natural leaders, to guide them properly in these trying times."

Lowery looked askance at Kinsey's sudden transformation. "Sometimes I think it would serve the idiots right if they got what they think they want," he said quietly. He shook his head. "But you're right, Bob, the American people need proper leadership, now more than ever."

Kinsey's smile grew infinitesimally wider.


	26. Chapter 26

Jack's eyebrows rose as rounded the corner. "Just passing by?" he quipped as he pulled his keys from his pocket with his free hand and opened his office door. "All three of you?" He lifted the garment bag from his shoulder and hung it on the hook on the inside face of the door.

Daniel and Sam both blushed and looked down, but Teal'c merely tilted his head slightly and said, "Were I you, O'Neill, I would have found this weekend to be... emotionally difficult."

Jack's lips thinned. "Shut the door behind you." He sat, elbows resting on his desk, as SG-1 took their usual places.

"Sir-"

"Jack-"

A sharp gesture silenced both. "Difficult's a... good word, T," Jack said. Teal'c nodded. "We each kept a few things, donated the rest," Jack continued in a flat, clipped tone. "Figured that'd be a more fitting memorial, maybe help some other kids who didn't- don't have it so good." Jack's mouth twitched in what could have been the ghost of a fond smile. "He always was the generous type; must've gotten it from his mother."

"Indeed," Teal'c murmured.

"Anyway, long story short, she's found a nice condo in town, closer to the university. Realtor's coming by on Tuesday to take a look at the place." Jack leaned back in his chair. "Not that it makes any difference to me, the house has been hers since- The house is Sara's now." His eyes went to the garment bag, which held his Class A service uniform. "So what's the story on these reps the Tok'ra are sending, Carter?"

"Umm, well, you guys have met Martouf and Lantash already," Sam answered. "Dha'mir's going to be more or less in charge; he's been the main negotiator for the Tok'ra in our talks and Per'sus trusts him implicitly. His host is Elzin." Sam hesitated slightly. "And then there's Thoran, and his host, Harian."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "Carter?"

"Thoran is both good friends with, and a close political ally of, Delek."

"So... probably not inclined to favor an alliance."

"Probably not, sir."

"Ah, Sam, quick question," Daniel said. "I noticed that with umm, with Martouf and Lantash you named the host first, but with the other two representatives you named the symbiotes first. Is there any sort of ah, protocol we should follow?"

"Well, whoever's in control at the time is always introduced first, and that's who you should talk to," Sam answered. "The one in control, I mean. Beyond that it's just umm, personal preference- of the blended pair, that is- who gets named first. Usually whoever tends to take the lead more often."

Daniel nodded. "Got it."

Jack rubbed his hands together briskly. "Good to know, Carter. Now if there's nothing else I've ah, I've got some paperwork I need to catch up on before our guests arrive."

"No sir, nothing else," Sam said as she stood.

Teal'c nodded gravely and followed Sam out of the office. Daniel stood as well, but hesitated in the doorway. "Jack. If-"

"I really do need to get this done, Daniel," Jack interrupted, not looking up from his desk. "So unless you're offering to help out..."

Daniel snorted. "Oh please. I learned my lesson on that one a long time ago."

Jack shrugged. "Worth a try." He looked up at Daniel. "Go on. I'll catch up with you at lunch."

"All right." Daniel closed the door behind him.

Jack looked down, eyeing the bottom drawer of his desk. He drew in a breath, then let it out slowly before reaching down and pulling the drawer open. A silver-framed photograph of Charlie in his Little League uniform smiled up at Jack, who stared back for a long time before taking the photograph from the drawer and placing it on his desk.

  
  


  
  


Sergeant Maxwell shook his head. "Even if we do manage to 'borrow' some alien watchajigger and we can put it back without anyone noticing after the brainy types are done with it, it's still taking things that ain't ours."

"Look," Clare Tobias argued, "I'm not saying it's not ah, not a moral gray area. But wouldn't allowing the people of Earth to be killed or enslaved be worse? A lot worse?"

"I'm with Lee on this one, Clare," Ferretti interrupted, holding up his hand to forestall any further debate. "I understand your point- lesser of two evils and all that. But what you're talking about risks alienating potential allies against the Goa'uld on the chance- the chance," he emphasized, "that a, the teams find something useful in the first place, and b, our scientists can figure out how it works in time to do any good." He looked around at the other members of his team. "So, anyone see that game last night?"

"Afraid I missed it," Sergeant Dominguez answered.

"Fat lot of good our freakin' allies have been so far," Tobias muttered under her breath as she examined the food on her plate. Ferretti shot her a sharp look, but said nothing further as Tobias picked up her utensils and resumed eating.

Later, as she was waiting for the elevator, Clare heard: "Walk with me, Lieutenant."

She turned to find Colonel Makepeace standing at her shoulder. "Sir?"

"I couldn't help overhearing you in the mess earlier," Makepeace answered. He pivoted on one heel. "Walk with me."

Tobias swallowed heavily. "Y-yes, sir."

  
  


  
  


SG-1 stood at parade rest- or to be more accurate, three-quarters of SG-1 stood at parade rest while the fourth member stood in an attitude of polite but definitely non-military attention- while a diplomat from the State Department greeted the Tok'ra representatives and officially welcomed them to Earth. The diplomat then introduced General Hammond, who officially welcomed the Tok'ra to Stargate Command. For their part, the three Tok'ra gave the expected polite responses at the appropriate times, although there was a noticeable difference between the pleasant, easy-going demeanor exhibited by Martouf and the brusque, almost curt manner of Thoran.

Once the diplomatic courtesies had been observed, Hammond led the Tok'ra delegation over to SG-1. "And this is our premier off-world team, SG-1. They'll be the ones to show you around, answer any questions you may-"

Thoran lowered his head. "We would prefer someone other than Jolinar's laszl'noc as a guide," Harian interrupted.

Sam paled as the blood drained from her face, her eyes widening in shock. "Wh-what?! I-" Her eyes went to Martouf.

Martouf and Dha'mir were both staring at Harian, astonishment plain on their features. "Harian, kree!" Dha'mir barked. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Daniel?" Jack said.

Martouf's eyes flared. "Sam is still host to Jolinar," Lantash growled.

Daniel blinked. "Umm, ah, chose, chosen... not, ah, not chosen, ah-"

"Oh spare me!" Harian snapped. "Either one is a host in all ways, in every way, or is no host at all."

"-umm, unchosen, ah-"

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute here," Jack said. "You're upset because Carter didn't stay on as Jolinar's host? The same Jolinar who just hopped into her without even a-"

Harian lowered his head. "We do not condone Jolinar's actions, Colonel, far from it," Thoran replied. "But neither do we accept the purported reasons for this-this- mockery of the bond between host and symbiote." He raised his chin. "Vorash Council should have demanded a proper answer from Captain Carter. And if that meant Jolinar's execution for her crime, so be it."

Lantash's eyes narrowed, his hands balling into fists as he took a step towards Thoran.

"Kornak kree, Lantash!" Sam called out, halting his movement. "Stand down. Please."

Lantash nodded sharply and took a step back. His hands remained clenched.

Sam turned to Thoran. "Jom'kree sarit sa meta ab'tau." Lantash and Dha'mir both looked sharply at her, then lowered their heads. Thoran's eyes narrowed. "Even if I were a laszl'noc, High Councilor," Sam continued evenly as Martouf and Elzin raised their heads, "I would retain that right."

"So you do," Thoran responded. He lowered his head.

Jack looked over at Daniel. "What-"

Daniel shook his head. "Later."

Harian raised his head. "There is more to being a host than simply carrying a symbiote."

"I know," Sam replied. "Nor is it a responsibility I take lightly."

"Perhaps," the diplomat from the State Department broke in, "now would be a good time to show our guests to their quarters, allow them some time to refresh themselves after their journey."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Elzin responded. "I think we all could benefit from a brief pause before continuing."

Hammond stepped forward. "If you would be so kind as to follow me, I'll show you to our on-base guest facilities." He gave Jack a quick glance and subtly nodded toward the Briefing Room before leaving the Gate Room with the Tok'ra representatives, the diplomat and several SFs in tow.

 


	27. Chapter 27

"Ya wanna explain what just happened in there, Carter?"

"I uhh, I don't think I can do that, sir."

"Car-ter..."

"I mean," Sam continued hastily, "I can tell you what happened, sir, I just- I don't know why it happened."

"The ah, the other two representatives seemed as surprised as anyone else by what ah, what Harian said, Jack," Daniel put in.

"Yeah, I kind of got that part, Daniel, thanks," Jack responded.

"This is a matter between hosts," Teal'c declared. He tilted his head slightly. "Is that not essentially what you said, Captain Carter?"

"Umm, yes. Basically."

"Getting back to the matter at hand," Jack began.

"I don't- Jolinar didn't know Thoran and Harian all that well," Sam interrupted. "Or at all, really. I have no idea what's behind this."

"Could it be some sort of negotiating ploy?" Daniel suggested. "Start out with something outrageous, so what you really want seems like a compromise?"

"We're outraged you didn't have our guy executed?" Jack asked. "Or gal, rather."

Daniel grimaced. "Yeah, it is a little weak, isn't it?"

"Could this Harian be a member of the group you spoke of, the ones who would wish Jolinar harm due to her past as a Goa'uld?" Teal'c asked.

"I don't know," Sam answered. "I hope not. Thoran and Harian both have reputations as honorable ah, beings." She sighed. "It may be exactly what Harian said, that they feel what we did- what I've done- is a mockery of the bond between host and symbiote." She looked down at her hands. "And I'm not so sure he's wrong."

"Sam?" Daniel asked slowly. "You don't- You're not- I mean, do you regret-"

"No." Sam shook her head. "No," she repeated, more firmly. She raised her head. "It was the best decision. For everyone."

"Course it was," Jack responded heartily. "So what's with this ah, laser knock-"

"Laszl'noc, sir."

"Right, that. Ex-host?" Jack guessed.

"Yes, sir. And um, ex-symbiote as well."

Jack blinked. "Right."

"The Goa'uld refer to an unwanted host as a laszl'tok," Teal'c stated. "As far as I am aware, this term laszl'noc is a word unique to the Tok'ra. It is also unique in apparently applying equally to both host and symbiote."

"Of course," Daniel said. "Chosen against- rejected- as opposed to not, or unchosen. Or rather, no longer chosen, I suppose."

"So basically, this Harian guy's not wrong, he's just jumping the gun a bit," Jack concluded. "Like calling someone divorced when really, they're just separated, and technically still married."

Sam looked down at her hands again. "Yes, sir," she said in a small voice.

"Sam?" Daniel asked. "What you said in there, about-"

Sam's head came up. "Martouf!"

"Hello, Sam," Martouf said from the doorway to the Briefing Room. He nodded to the rest of SG-1 in silent greeting. "It seemed better for us to be separated from Harian and Thoran for a bit," he explained as he entered. "Your General Hammond was kind enough to ah, ask these gentlemen to take us to where you were while additional quarters are prepared." The SFs accompanying Martouf took up positions to either side of the door. "May I sit?"

Jack gestured toward an empty chair. "Knock yourself out."

"It's an expression," Sam explained quickly. "He means yes."

"I see." Martouf sat. "Thank you."

_We need to know if she plans to repudiate her bond with Jolinar._

_You saw how she reacted to Harian's words._

_Nonetheless..._ Lantash trailed off.

"Forgive me, Sam," Martouf continued. "I know this is neither the ideal time nor place to ask this but; have you made the decision to repudiate your bond with Jolinar?"

Sam shook her head. "No. No, I haven't. Is she- How is she?"

Martouf leaned back in his chair. "As well as can be expected."

Sam smiled sadly. "I don't blame you for being upset with me. Either of you. It's just- I'm sorry. I wish-" Sam shook her head.

Martouf nodded. "We would at the very least however, appreciate knowing why communication has been so... infrequent."

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "Once all this- the negotiations and everything- are settled, I will come visit, I promise. It's just- Now is... not a good time."

"I see," Martouf returned neutrally, his eyes studying Sam's face.

_Could there be merit to Freya's suspicions?_

_Perhaps. Let me push a little._

Martouf lowered his head.

"Sar'debeh cal mah?" Lantash demanded.

Sam shook her head. "I um, I don't think that's necessary. Not just yet."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "Daniel?"

"He umm, he asked Sam if-"

"Lantash asked if I needed sanctuary, sir. Ah, political asylum, basically."

"You think we're keeping Carter here against her will?"

"We have spoken with the Tollan about the Tau'ri, Colonel," Lantash answered. "They had some very interesting things to say, particularly about one Colonel ah, Maybourne, I believe the name was?"

Daniel snorted. "Of course."

"Lantash," Sam leaned forward. "Colonel Maybourne represents a- a portion of our government, a faction, and one that- admittedly- is not friendly to outsiders."

"And how does this faction regard you, Sam?" Lantash asked.

Sam blinked. "Ah-" She glanced over at Jack.

Lantash's eyes followed her gaze. "I see."

Jack blew out a breath. "Look, cards on the table here," he said, leaning forward. "Carter and Daniel both think this whole alliance thing is wonderful, fantastic, the greatest thing since sliced bread- you get the picture-"

_The greatest thing since... sliced... bread?_

_It ah, it must be a Tau'ri expression of... some sort._

"Now me, I'm not so sure," Jack continued. "I mean yeah, you don't like the Goa'uld, we don't like the Goa'uld, but beyond that?" Jack spread his hands.

"There are worse things than a common enemy to base an alliance on, Colonel," Lantash noted.

"Yeah, well, my point is, while I'm not so sure this alliance will work out as well as Carter hopes, to not even try would be- would be-"

"Foolish in the extreme," Teal'c put in.

"Exactly. What he said," Jack continued. "Which is why we want the high mucky-mucks figuring the best- and least dangerous- place for Carter is here, and not some NID lab somewhere."

Lantash frowned thoughtfully. "How much danger are you in, Sam?" he asked finally. "Truly."

"Lantash?" Sam leaned forward. "Is Jolinar all right? Is she in danger?"

"Malek has a guard on her tank at all times," Lantash answered. "She's fine. Perfectly healthy. Bored, but healthy. It's just-" Lantash sighed. "Perhaps I'd better let Martouf explain."

Martouf raised his head. "Sam, you- this entire situation, with you and Jolinar- just on its own would be enough to cause um, talk, but with you being one of the- the mythical Tau'ri, as well as Jolinar's ah, history-"

"They know Jolinar was once Goa'uld," Sam interrupted. She sighed. "How bad is it?"

"Well, disregarding those who do not believe you are in fact the First World, and that this is all an elaborate plot by Goa'uld or Goa'ulds unknown to ensnare the Tok'ra, there are many who question whether you truly seek to end the tyranny of the Goa'uld, or merely to acquire advanced technology for your own benefit."

Jack blinked. "Oh fer cryin' out loud."

"Having spoken with Sam, Colonel, and with Dr. Jackson, we understand the world of the Tau'ri is a complex one, with many different ah, facets," Martouf answered. "But for those at more of a remove, those differences smooth away, and the Tau'ri are simply- the Tau'ri."

"In other words, SGC, NID, it doesn't matter," Daniel said. "We're all Tau'ri, and we obviously all want exactly the same thing."

Martouf nodded in acknowledgment.

"So what does that mean for the negotiations?" Daniel asked.

Sam closed her eyes. "It's giving ammunition to those who think Earth's in it solely to gain advanced technology, isn't it?" she asked. "If I'm not coming to visit Jolinar, it's because we don't need her anymore."

"That is the most common explanation," Martouf answered.

Sam opened her eyes. "Sir-"

Jack held up a hand. "I take it the ah, the whatchacallit, the High Council, needs to ratify any sort of treaty from the Tok'ra side?"

Martouf nodded. "Yes. And at the moment, ratification is far from assured."

"And Carter going to visit Jolinar will help?"

"I... don't know," Martouf admitted. "I hope it will serve to undercut the arguments of those who oppose an alliance, but," he spread his hands, "much damage has already been done."

Jack sighed. "I'll talk to Hammond."


	28. Chapter 28

“Not just yet, Carter?”  
  
“Sir?” Sam asked as the door to the women's locker-room swung shut behind her.  
  
“That whole ah, comma thing,” Jack elaborated, stuffing his yo-yo into a pocket as he straightened.  
  
“Cal mah, sir,” Sam corrected as they headed directly for the Embarkation Room, rather than stopping by the armory to sign out their weapons as usual. “And... it was an option.”  
  
“Thought you didn't know where the Tok'ra went to, Carter.”  
  
“I don't, sir,” Sam answered. “But there are ah, points of contact- ways to get a- a message to the Tok'ra. And um, places to ah, go to ground and wait, as it were.”  
  
“And you know those.”  
  
“Some of them, yes, sir.”  
  
“I see,” Jack said neutrally. He halted just outside the door to the Embarkation Room and turned to face Sam. “Ah, Carter, one thing. It might be a good idea if you're not alone with any of the Tok'ra while we're there. In fact it might be best if you're not alone, period.”  
  
Sam came to attention. “Understood, Colonel,” she responded crisply.  
  
Jack grimaced. “Yeah.” He turned and entered the Embarkation Room, Sam at his heels. Daniel and Teal'c were already there, along with Lantash. SG-3 stood off to one side; they would be the guards for the unarmed SG-1 from the SGC to the designated stopover planet, where Tok'ra guards would assume responsibility for SG-1's safety.  
  
Jack nodded to Colonel Makepeace, then waved to the Control Room. Sergeant Harriman began the dialing sequence. “Chevron One, engaged.”  
  
 _Freya was right_ , Martouf observed. _This certainly is more dramatic than merely pressing glyphs on a chappa'kree.  
  
Indeed,_ Lantash agreed. _But, it also seems to be noticeably slower as well. Still-_  
  
“You heading back as well, Marty?” Jack asked.  
  
“Yes, Colonel,” Lantash answered.  
  
Jack blinked. “Could ah, could you guys maybe wear a sign? Or something?”  
  
“Chevron Seven... Locked!”  
  
Jack nodded to Makepeace, who signaled his men to precede SG-1 through the Gate.  
  
They emerged at the stopover world to find two other Tok'ra waiting for them. One stepped forward and handed a zat'nik'tel to Lantash, who clipped it onto his belt. “Any problems?”  
  
The Tok'ra guard shook her head. “All clear.”  
  
“Lantash is a um, senior operative,” Sam explained.  
  
SG-3 returned to the SGC, then SG-1 turned their backs so they would not see the symbols as Lantash dialed the coordinates for the new location of Vorash Base.  
  
“Whoa,” Jack said as he looked around the swampy, flooded landscape that surrounded the square stone platform the Gate stood on. A DHD sat behind the Gate, and four sets of stairs led from each side of the platform down to the water. “Bit of a change from last time.” Four other, smaller platforms ringed the Gate platform, just barely rising above the still waters.  
  
“If you would follow me, please,” Lantash said as he walked down the stairs to the right of the Gate. A narrow, crystalline bridge rose from beneath the dark, tannic liquid. “I would advise against stepping into the water,” Lantash continued. “While it is not particularly deep, there are leeches and other, less pleasant creatures about.”  
  
Daniel looked up from his perusal of a series of concentric circles inscribed on the main platform. “Umm, no wading. Got it.”  
  
“It is not far,” Lantash said, and led them across the bridge to one of the smaller platforms, where a set of rings transported them down to the tunnels below. Behind them, the bridge sank beneath the surface once again.  
  
Once in the tunnels, they were joined by Freya and Aldwin, who accompanied them to a small chamber at the end of a dead-end corridor guarded by two more Tok'ra. “Sam?” Lantash asked, looking at SG-1.  
  
“It's fine,” Sam answered absently, her eyes riveted on the support tank at the far end of the chamber. “They can stay.” Lantash nodded to the guards, who bowed slightly and withdrew.  
  
Sam moved forward, her fingers unbuttoning her uniform blouse as she crossed the room, eyes still locked on Jolinar's tank.  
  
Jack's eyebrows rose. “Ah, Carter-”  
  
“It's fine, sir.” The uniform blouse slipped from Sam's shoulders and down her arms, revealing the black t-shirt she wore underneath. “I don't want it to get wet,” she explained, placing the blouse on a nearby table.  
  
“Right.”  
  
Sam opened the lid of the tank, allowing it to fall back on its hinges. Jolinar swam up from the bottom of the tank, her head breaking the surface. The two looked at each other for a long moment, then Jolinar gave a soft screech.  
  
“I am so, so sorry,” Sam answered.  
  
  
  
  
  
“Sir! Sir! Can you hear me? Stay with me, sir. Help is on the way. Sir-”  
  
“I- I'm here,” Jacob Carter rasped. He lay on his back, one hand holding the telephone handset to his ear. “Just... not... s-sure...” Jacob's voice trailed off.  
  
“Just stay with me, sir,” the 911 operator repeated. “An ambulance is on the way.”  
  
“Phone's... gettin' kinda... heavy."  
  
"Just hang on, sir. A little bit longer. Help is coming, I promise you."  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack surreptitiously studied the Tok'ra as he practiced his Lindy Loop. The biggest surprise so far had been finding out that even Jolinar's spouses didn't understand much more of the sn- ah, symbiote's various screeches and squeals than he could, and had to communicate in a series of yes/no questions. The fact that Carter not only seemed to understand, but actually be holding a conversation with Jolinar, had piqued the interest of the two more scientifically-minded Tok'ra. Aldwin and Anise were currently having a quietly intense conversation of their own off in one corner, with Daniel listening in and interjecting the occasional question or comment. The odd word or phrase that drifted to Jack's ears suggested that scientists being science-y with each other was a behavior that transcended species.  
  
Speaking of behavior that transcended species, Jack let his yo-yo idle in a sleeper as his eyes slid over to Mar- no, Lantash, and the pair of 10-shesh'ta coins, each about halfway between a quarter and a Kennedy half-dollar in size, that the sn- ah, symbiote, was currently making "dance" back and forth and in and out between the fingers of one hand. It was not a simple series of maneuvers, but Jack was certain the Tok'ra's attention was no more absorbed by his coins than Jack's was by his yo-yo. As he segued into an around-the-corner, Jack made a mental note to press Carter about what exactly a "senior operative" did for the Tok'ra.  
  
"One of my previous hosts was an- an entertainer, of sorts," Lantash said, his eyes flicking up to meet Jack's. He lifted his hand, and both coins vanished from sight. "I find it relaxes me."  
  
Jack nodded slightly in acknowledgment as his fingers closed around his yo-yo. "I get that." He dropped the yo-yo in his pocket. "So-"  
  
"What's wrong with Selmak?" Sam asked suddenly. She was still standing by Jolinar's tank, one arm still in the water, but had turned to face the rest of the room. Jolinar, her body wrapped around Sam's supporting arm, was poking her head out of the water and eyeing the others as well.  
  
The Tok'ra exchanged looks, then Aldwin sighed and answered, "We ah- we didn't want Jolinar to worry. She's fine," he continued hastily in response to the exasperated glares Sam and Jolinar were aiming at him. "It's just that finding a new host- a suitable new host is umm, is taking a bit longer than anyone expected."  
  
Jolinar screeched sharply. "How long?" Sam asked. "Until-"  
  
Aldwin spread his hands helplessly.  
  
Jolinar gave a hesitant squeal, causing Sam's head to snap around. "No! Absolutely not."  
  
Jolinar squealed again. "No," Sam repeated emphatically, softly stroking Jolinar with her free hand. "No, it isn't," she continued in answer to another, more insistent squeal. "I know. I know what she means to you. To everyone. But I can't. Not if it means-" Sam shook her head. "I'll figure something out. I promise. Just... not that. Ever."  
  
After a long moment, Jolinar gave a final, soft screech before uncoiling herself from Sam's arm and sinking to the bottom of the tank. Sam reached up and closed the lid of the tank. She turned, picked up her uniform blouse and donned it, fastening the buttons as she turned and walked out the door. SG-1 and the Tok'ra exchanged glances of mutual bafflement, then followed.  
  
Sam led the group through several corridors, finally stopping in front of one particular doorway, although Jack could see nothing distinguishing it from any of the others they had passed. Sam touched a spot on the doorframe and then stepped back, folding her hands in front of her.  
  
Garshaw appeared in the doorway. "Captain Carter," she said neutrally. Her gaze flicked past Sam's shoulder. "And company."  
  
Sam gave a slight bow. "Mast-"  
  
"Come," Garshaw interrupted, turning and disappearing back into the room.  
  
The first thing Jack noted about the chamber as Garshaw led them inside was that, unlike the room SG-1 had been given before, a free-standing wall just inside the open doorway provided the inhabitants with a measure of privacy from passers-by. As they came around this wall, he saw the chamber was divided into two parts, with a private, raised sleeping area in the rear and a more public area for receiving visitors in the front. There was little in the way of furniture, but rather than seeming empty, it reminded Jack of the deliberately minimalist aesthetic of a traditional Japanese tea-house.  
  
Garshaw stepped forward and laid a hand on Saroosh's forearm. "We have guests," she said softly.  
  
"Hmph? Wha-" Saroosh blinked several times and straightened. The others looked away, pretending not to notice that the elderly Tok'ra had clearly been asleep in her chair. "So we do," Saroosh acknowledged. Her hands trembled as she held them out, and she seemed to have aged decades in the weeks since SG-1 had last seen her. Garshaw stepped forward again to grasp Saroosh's hands.  
  
"Wait," Daniel said suddenly. "Please. I mean, you don't have to get up. Not for us."  
  
Saroosh bowed her head. "If you insist, Doctor," Selmak replied, sinking back into her chair. Garshaw stepped away, shooting Daniel a grateful glance as she did.  
  
Selmak glared at Aldwin. "I thought I told you not to worry her with this."  
  
Aldwin opened his mouth, but Sam spoke first. "Not knowing was making her worry even more."  
  
Selmak sighed. "Well, no help for it, I suppose. How did she take the news?" Her eyes narrowed as Sam noticeably hesitated. "Captain Carter?"  
  
"She, ah, she suggested that a- a workable solution might be for- for me to- to- um, for me to temporarily-" Sam drew in a deep breath. "For me to become your host," she finished.  
  
Selmak's eyes flashed as shocked sounds came from the other Tok'ra. "I hope you put a quick end to that particular line of thinking, Captain," Saroosh said.  
  
Sam gave her an affronted look. "Of course."  
  
Saroosh nodded. "My apologies."  
  
Later, as they waited on the stopover planet for SG-3 to dial in from Earth, Jack said quietly, "Just what exactly was going on back there, Carter?"  
  
Sam drew in a breath. "Selmak..." she began. "Af- After the destruction of Malkshur, it was Selmak who convinced Jolinar to join the Tok'ra, instead of- of-" Sam shook her head. "Let's just say that Jolinar has a weakness for big, dramatic gestures, sir. Anyway," she continued, "she acted as Jolinar's ah, sponsor, I'd guess you'd call it. Beyond that, Selmak is the last living member of the First Clutch, the original Tok'ra birthed by Egeria."  
  
"So," Jack said as SG-3 emerged from the wormhole, "she's... someone pretty important then. In a lot of ways."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Ah." Jack nodded toward the Stargate. "We should be getting back."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Jack tilted his head. "The destruction of Malkshur?"  
  
Sam shook her head. "There's no danger to Earth, sir, or any of the teams. Beyond that, it's Jolinar's story to tell, not mine."  
  
"Fair enough." Jack motioned toward the Stargate. "After you, Carter."  
  
"Thank you, sir."

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue in this chapter has been taken from the transcript for "The Tok'ra, Part 1" on the Stargate Wiki.   
> ( http://www.stargate-sg1-solutions.com/wiki/2.11_%22The_Tok%27ra_Part_1%22_Transcript )

"I thought the operation- I thought it was successful."  
  
"Oh it was," Jacob answered Sam. "Cleaned out my lymph nodes completely. The problem apparently, is another squadron of the little ba- ah, buggers managed to get themselves assigned to my liver." He looked down at his hands for a moment, then back up at his daughter. "George came to see me. Pretty much ripped me a new one." He grimaced. "Which I have to admit wasn't entirely unjustified. Some COs would have reacted pretty badly to being blindsided like that. And taken it out on you."  
  
Sam folded her arms. "I react badly to being blindsided like that, Dad." One side of her mouth quirked up in a half-smile. "Which I'm pretty sure I got from you."  
  
Jacob's answering smile was rueful. "Yeah, you did." He shook his head. "I just- Is it so wrong to try and make sure my little girl is happy before I'm- before I'm gone?"  
  
"I am happy, Dad."  
  
"Samantha Grace-"  
  
Sam sighed. "Okay, fine. Things could be better. But I'm working on it." She fixed her father with a stern glare. "I am working on it," she repeated. Her expression softened. "I'm a big girl, Dad. You can stop worrying."  
  
Jacob shook his head. "Not gonna happen."  
  
"Yeah, I know. But can you at least trust that I know what I'm doing, more or less? I know you mean well, but -"  
  
"But if I don't fly wing, I won't get to fly at all?"   
  
Sam nodded.   
  
"I guess that's not unreasonable," Jacob conceded. "I'll try, Sammie. I really will."  
  
"Thank you."   
  
Jacob looked down at his hands again, then back up at Sam. "You should probably know, I've made some changes to my will. I uh, I talked to your brother about this, just before- well, just before all this happened." He gestured, indicating the hospital room around them. "Basically, instead of everything going to you, now I'm splitting it between you and the twins."  
  
Sam beamed. "That's wonderful. What-"  
  
"They seem to be pretty good kids," Jacob interrupted. "As far as grand-kids go, I could have done worse, I suppose."  
  
Sam rolled her eyes. "I've been telling you that for years, Dad."  
  
"Yeah, you have," Jacob acknowledged. He looked levelly at his daughter. "And while they both have Tracy's ah, coloring, Ellen at least has definitely inherited her grandmother's smile, as well as her name."  
  
Sam blinked. "Oh. Umm... well, ah, that is-"  
  
Jacob held up his hand. "Let's just hope Matty didn't inherit his grandfather's hairline."  
  
  


  
_I've been thinking...  
  
Hmm?_ Aldwin responded absently as he checked his sleeping patients.  
  
Gerim continued, _Saroosh was... older when she became a host.  
  
Oh?  
  
And Selmak is the oldest... and arguably the wisest among us..._  
  
Aldwin straightened. _Both true, but-  
  
What did the potential hosts sent to meet with her have in common?  
  
Well... one was male... the female was from one of the shet'inet worlds, I don't remember which- they were both quite young, weren't they?_ Aldwin realized. _The male was barely out of boyhood. Or at least looked that way._ He paused. _Who was Selmak's host before Saroosh?  
  
Rheishi._ Gerim sent his host a memory of Selmak's previous host: a dark-skinned, stern-looking matriarch.  
  
 _Is that why she rejected them as hosts?  
  
I think it might have been a factor._  
  
Aldwin looked back at Saroosh's sleeping figure. _Then let's hope that Sam's attempt to find a host among her people is successful._  
  
And acceptable to Selmak.  
  
She may not have that luxury anymore.

  
  
  
  
"I'm not sure I'm following you here, Captain," Elizabeth Weir said. "In your report you recommended against Earth providing hosts for the Tok'ra. Recommended against it quite strongly, as I recall."  
  
"I recommended against the idea of Earth providing hosts as being a part of these initial negotiations," Sam responded. "Once we and the Tok'ra have gotten to know each other better, then I think it will benefit both of us." Dr. Weir and the head of the diplomatic team, Dr. Jame Triefe, as well as their military liaison, a Lieutenant Colonel Simmons, were seated across the table from Sam and the rest of SG-1. General Hammond was in his usual place at the head of the table. "With very few exceptions, such as the Tollan," Sam continued, "the vast majority of- of extraterrestrial humanity lives at what is basically a subsistence agricultural level. They literally have nothing to offer the Tok'ra except hosts. And food," she added parenthetically. "Certainly nothing that can help in the fight against the Goa'uld."   
  
"So the Tok'ra consider us to be basically useless then?" Simmons challenged. "Simple peasants they might occasionally use as hosts?"  
  
"The Tok'ra don't 'use' hosts, not in that way. Sir." Sam drew in a breath. "With respect, my point is, we're not what the Tok'ra are used to, what they expect," she continued. "The same way Jolinar wasn't what we expected, how- how different the Tok'ra are from the Goa'uld."  
  
"Are they really that different though?" Simmons asked. "They are the same species, after all."  
  
"Colonel, enough," Triefe broke in before Sam could respond. "I'd like to hear more about this ah, Selmak, was it?" He smiled affably. "If you don't mind."  
  
Sam gave a sharp nod in confirmation. "Selmak, yes, sir. As I mentioned before, she is the last living member of the First Clutch," Sam continued. "She is respected by all of the Tok'ra, even those who disagree with her politically. She already supports the idea of an alliance, and could be a strong advocate on our behalf."  
  
"But she's not a member of the current Tok'ra government," Weir said. "So how much would that support truly mean?"  
  
"Quite a bit, Doctor," Sam answered. She hesitated, then continued, "When Egeria disappeared, the Tok'ra didn't just lose their founder. They also lost their leader, their ruler."  
  
Daniel straightened. "Egeria did more than just give birth to the Tok'ra, didn't she?" Sam nodded. "She was- she was their Queen," he continued. "She was a- a queen regnant, a ruling queen, as well as being their um, their mother."  
  
"At that time the High Council was strictly an advisory body," Sam confirmed. "Egeria appointed the Council members to their positions, and she could remove them at any time."  
  
"So what happened?" Daniel asked. "How did we get to ah, to where we are now?"  
  
"Egeria never named a successor," Sam answered. "When she disappeared, there were several Tok'ra who could have claimed her position as ruler of the Tok'ra."  
  
"That sounds like the setup for a civil war, Captain," Triefe observed. "A multi-sided one, at that."  
  
"It very nearly was, sir," Sam answered. "Basically, the leaders of the various factions were persuaded that the best option to avoid a war that would decimate the Tok'ra no matter who won, would be for the High Council- an elected High Council, with delegates from each of the bases- to rule in Egeria's name. The Base Councils were already being mostly elected from among the population of each base," she continued, "with only the Base Commander being directly appointed by Egeria. And even then she usually appointed whoever the Base Council had nominated."  
  
"So the idea of an elected Council wasn't an entirely new idea then," Weir stated.  
  
Sam shook her head. "No, it wasn't. Anyway," she continued, "Selmak was one of the leading figures- one of the most ah, most vocal proponents of- of democratizing the Tok'ra, for lack of a better word."  
  
"So... she's the Tok'ra George Washington then?" Jack asked.  
  
"I'm not sure that's-"  
  
"Ben Franklin... Thomas Jefferson... some other guy in a powdered wig... c'mon, Daniel, help me out here."  
  
"The American Revolution is a little later than I usually deal with, Jack," Daniel answered.  
  
"Perhaps a more apt analogy would be James Madison, known as 'The Father of the Constitution' for his key role, both at the Constitutional Convention itself and during the later campaign to achieve ratification by the states," Teal'c suggested.  
  
The rest of the table stared at Teal'c. "What, umm," Daniel broke the silence. "What he said."  
  
"The important point, as I understand it, is that we would be offering potentially life-saving assistance to a highly respected and influential Tok'ra," Triefe said. "Does everyone agree with that assessment?"  
  
"While of course the Pentagon supports the idea of assisting potential allies wherever practical," Simmons stated, "and I do personally sympathize with Captain Carter, the fact remains that General Carter was the CO of the 412th. With his knowledge of current military technology, the national security implications are not something that can just be ignored."  
  
Daniel leaned over to Jack. "412th?" he murmured.  
  
"412th Test Wing, out of Edwards," Jack responded quietly. "Does all the Air Force's flight testing and weapons testing and the like."  
  
Daniel frowned. "I thought that's what Area 51 did."  
  
Jack shook his head. "They handle the spy stuff. That and reverse-engineering whatever the SG teams bring back, of course."  
  
"With all due respect, Colonel," Sam responded, ignoring Jack and Daniel's murmured conversation, "but the Tok'ra- and the Goa'uld- have spaceships. Faster-than-light spaceships. They're not the ones playing technological catch-up. If anything, my father's engineering background will be an asset once we start integrating Tok'ra technology with our own."  
  
"The Pentagon has not yet decided-"  
  
"I think we've heard all we need to," Triefe said, interrupting Simmons' response. "Thank you, Captain, you've given us quite a bit to think on. General, unless you feel there's anything more we need to discuss?" Hammond shook his head. "Then," Triefe continued, "again, thank you, Captain, gentlemen. Have a good evening."

 


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the dialogue in this chapter has been taken from the transcript for "The Tok'ra Part 2" on the Stargate Wiki.  
> ( http://www.stargate-sg1-solutions.com/wiki/2.12_%22The_Tok%27ra_Part_2%22_Transcript )

"It doesn't make sense," Lantash said, setting his mug down with a thump. "Heru'ur leads his armies personally; it's something he takes pride in. To suddenly start isolating himself like this-" He shook his head. "It just doesn't make sense."  
  
Malek took a sip from his own mug and grimaced. "He's even isolated himself from his court." Lantash pushed the bowl of sweetener in Malek's direction. "The only ones permitted any kind of direct contact with him lately are Veral'c and a few other, presumably trusted, Jaffa," Malek continued, spooning sweetener into his cup.  
  
"He's planning something."  
  
"But what?" Malek spread his hands. "There are no signs of any sort of build-up- barely any troop movements at all, in fact- his ha'taks are all accounted for- What else could it be?"  
  
"I don't know," Lantash admitted, studying the liquid in his cup. "That's what has me worried."  
  
Malek studied his own cup. "That makes two of us, old friend." He drew in a breath and looked back up, adding, "I'm thinking of recommending another migration."  
  
"Another migration?"  
  
"Right now, Ba'al's attention is focused on securing his share of Zipacna's former territory," Malek began.  
  
"Which was part of the reason for choosing this planet," Lantash responded, "since Ba'al's alliance with Heru'ur means this border is relatively calm."  
  
Malek leaned forward. "If Heru'ur is planning to betray his alliance with Ba'al, or even if Ba'al just thinks he is, this planet becomes much more strategically important than it is now."  
  
Lantash shook his head. "Heru'ur's fighting both Camulus and Bastet already. The last thing he needs right now is another border dispute, especially with a major System Lord. Not to mention losing his alliance with Ba'al would free up Kali's forces to help Bastet."  
  
"I know," Malek responded. "I know." He drew in a breath. "Any word from Captain Carter?"  
  
Lantash lowered his head. "Not yet," Martouf answered.  
  
  
  
  


 

Sam blinked in surprise. "Mark? What are you doing here?"  
  
Mark Carter grimaced. "This was Tracy's idea, not mine."  
  
"Oh. Is-"  
  
Mark shook his head. "Back home. With the kids."  
  
Sam gestured toward the door of Jacob's hospital room. "Have you been in to see Dad yet?"  
  
"Yeah. We talked. A bit."  
  
"Oh." Sam glanced toward the door again. "How um-"  
  
"We didn't fight," Mark answered. He blew out a breath. "At least not- well, maybe it's better if Dad and I take each other in small doses."  
  
Sam nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right."  
  
"Anyway, I've got a room at the-" Mark broke off, his gaze focusing on something over Sam's shoulder. "Ah, Sam? What's-"  
  
Sam turned to see General Hammond approaching. "General? Is something-"  
  
Hammond held up a hand. "I'm just stopping by for a visit, Captain, that's all. Mark," he nodded. "It's good to see you, son. Been a while."  
  
Mark nodded in response. "It has."  
  
"If this isn't a good time," Hammond began.  
  
"Actually, I was just leaving," Mark said. "I still haven't unpacked yet." He gave Sam a quick hug and added, "I'll call you later tonight." He nodded to General Hammond again, then walked down the hallway to the elevators.  
  
"Sir, I'm sorry," Sam said, once the elevator doors had closed behind her brother. "I had no idea-"  
  
"Let's talk with Jake first, Captain," Hammond interrupted. "Then we'll worry about Mark."  
  
Sam swallowed. "Yes, sir. And sir? I know you have some serious doubts about this. Thank you." She moved over to Jacob's door and knocked softly before opening it. "Dad?"  
  
Jacob looked up with a smile. "Sammy! And George," he added as Hammond entered as well. He looked back and forth between his two visitors, the smile fading from his face. "What's going on?"  
  
"You wanted to know what Captain Carter did," Hammond answered. "I thought she could tell you herself."  
  
"I thought it was classified."  
  
"It is. You've been cleared."  
  
"Just... like that?" Jacob said. "Why?"  
  
"Well, believe it or not, we need your help, Dad," Sam answered.  
  
Jacob laughed. "What? The Pent-" he coughed. Sam moved toward him, only to be waved off. "The Pentagon wants me to deliver a message when I get up there?" he continued.  
  
"Not exactly," Hammond said.  
  
"Well I wasn't planning on going the other way."  
  
"Dad," Sam said. "Have you ever heard of the Stargate program?"  
  
Jacob shook his head. "Is that one of your satellites?"  
  
"That was just a cover," Sam answered. "I don't really work with satellites."  
  
"I never would have guessed," Jacob responded dryly. "So what-" he coughed again. "So what exactly do you do under that mountain of yours?"  
  
"Well, this is going to be a lot to take in at once-"  
  
"Stop beating around the bush," Jacob ordered. "What's better than becoming an astronaut?"  
  
"Traveling to other planets," Sam answered. "Much farther than any astronaut can go."  
  
Jacob stared at his daughter. "So you're not going to tell me the truth," he said finally.  
  
"She is telling you the truth, Jacob," Hammond said.  
  
"She... goes to other planets," Jacob said slowly. "What, in like simulations?"  
  
"No," Hammond answered. "In reality."  
  
"We discovered a piece of alien technology," Sam explained. "It can send us to thousands of planets all over the galaxy."  
  
"You're not kidding, are you?" Jacob said.  
  
Sam shook her head. "Nope."  
  
"Holy Hannah!" Jacob shook his head. "So, what is it you want me to do?"  
  
"Well, we'd like you to travel to one of these planets with us," Sam began.  
  
"Why? So I can die there?"  
  
"No, so you can live."  
  
"They... can cure my cancer? What's the catch?"  
  
"It's a doozy, Jake," Hammond answered. "I won't lie to you on that."

 

  
  


  
"Ba'al must be... distracted for a time."  
  
Cordesh remained kneeling, his eyes cast submissively downward. "Great Queen?"  
  
"You, along with a company of kresh'ta Jaffa, will enter Kali's territory and seize one of her ha'taks. You will then use that ha'tak to launch an attack against one of Ba'al's-"  
  
"Forgive me, Great Queen," Cordesh interrupted, "but Ba'al will already have a plan, and forces in place, to deal with any attack coming from Kali's territory. Any distraction will be at best, momentary."  
  
"You have a better idea, little Tok'ra?"  
  
"I do." Cordesh raised his eyes. "The only reason Ba'al and Kali are at odds is Ba'al's treaty with Heru'ur, and the territory Heru'ur and Bastet both claim-"  
  
"I am aware of this."  
  
Cordesh lowered his eyes. "Forgive me, Great Queen. But would not an attack that seemed to come from his ally Heru'ur prove a greater distraction to Ba'al's ambitions?" Cordesh waited, not daring to raise his eyes again as the silence lengthened.  
  
"Breaking their alliance would shift the balance of power in this sector, not to mention annoying my dear sister in the bargain." Amaunet reached out and lifted Cordesh's chin, bringing his gaze up to meet hers. "Succeed, and I shall reward you well." Her grip tightened. "Fail me again..."


End file.
